Manchester City to appeal Premier League guilty verdict before October 2 deadline

Manchester City have been formally found guilty of all Premier League charges against them, the league confirmed on Tuesday, with the club now facing a deadline of Friday 2 October to file an appeal or accept the independent Commission’s findings.

The Premier League’s statement clarified that the question of sanctions will be handled in a separate hearing once the appeals process is resolved. That hearing will remain private and confidential until the league permits publication of its outcome. The board added that its intention is to conclude the full process — including any appeals and the publication of relevant decisions — as quickly as possible.

“Now that the charges have been proved, the issue of sanction will be addressed separately in a further hearing with the independent Commission,” the Premier League said. “The club has the right to appeal the independent Commission’s findings and has until Friday 2 October to exercise that right.”

City moved swiftly to confirm they will appeal, simultaneously reaffirming their innocence in strong terms. In a statement, the club said they were “both disappointed and surprised” by the Commission’s opinion and insisted that “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions.”

“Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe,” the club said. City also took aim at the broader process, claiming they had “diligently respected due process for eight years” on the expectation that the Premier League would act as an independent and impartial regulator “free from partisan influence.”

No punishment has yet been determined. A range of potential sanctions has been discussed publicly, including points deductions, financial fines, and in the most extreme scenarios, relegation — though no formal recommendation has been made at this stage. The sanction hearing cannot begin until the appeal window closes or any appeal is concluded.

The case, which has been running for several years, centres on alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules across multiple seasons. The verdict and the looming appeal represent one of the most consequential moments in the league’s history, with the outcome likely to reshape how financial regulations are enforced across English football.