Manchester City to use Abu Dhabi government evidence to fight Premier League guilty verdict

Manchester City will attempt to overturn their guilty verdict on Premier League financial charges by calling on the Abu Dhabi government to support their case, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

An independent panel found City guilty of financial infractions spanning a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018 — the culmination of a saga involving 115 charges related to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. No sanctions have yet been imposed, with a lengthy appeals process still to be completed before any penalties are determined.

At the heart of City’s defence is the argument that sponsorship deals — labelled a ‘sham’ by the Premier League — were part-funded by the Abu Dhabi government itself, rather than by the club’s owners, Abu Dhabi United Group. The distinction matters because Premier League rules do not prohibit government-funded sponsorship arrangements, which are described as largely commonplace across the game.

City are alleged to have channelled more than £900 million into the club to satisfy financial regulations, with their Abu Dhabi ownership topping up commercial partnerships by over £830 million. The club contends that because those funds originated from state entities rather than the ownership group directly, no rules were broken.

In a statement issued in response to the panel’s findings, Manchester City said they were “both disappointed and surprised” by the verdict and maintained their innocence. “A comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions relating to this case,” the club said, pointing to bank statements and witness accounts as the foundation of their appeal.

City added that they would be “relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums”, and that they intend to pursue every available appeal avenue on the grounds that the panel’s opinion “contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe”.

The club also noted that the Premier League process “remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted”, and that they have “diligently respected due process for eight years” — a reference to the length of time the investigation has been under way.

The outcome of the appeal could have significant consequences for City’s standing in English football, though the timeline for any final resolution remains unclear.