Premier League to submit City punishment recommendations to panel within weeks after guilty verdict

The Premier League is set to submit its recommended punishments for Manchester City to an independent commission within the next few weeks, after the club were found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them.

According to The Times, the league will be able to put forward its proposals to a three-man panel when a dedicated sanctions hearing convenes in the near future. The verdict, which has sent shockwaves through English football, has prompted City to signal their intention to appeal, while chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued a statement insisting the club possesses “irrefutable evidence” of their innocence.

Among the penalties being discussed, some figures within the league believe only a significant points deduction — one severe enough to make relegation virtually inevitable — would reflect the scale of the charges. A transfer ban and a substantial fine are also on the table, and the Premier League retains the option of seeking City’s expulsion from the top flight entirely.

The scale of potential punishment can be contextualised by the league’s previous action against Everton. In November 2023, the Premier League recommended a 12-point deduction for a single breach of profit and sustainability rules. The independent panel ultimately imposed 10 points, later reduced to six on appeal. City’s case involves far more numerous and wide-ranging charges, suggesting any sanction could be considerably more severe.

In his statement, Al Mubarak sought to reassure supporters while acknowledging the constraints of the ongoing legal process. “The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” he wrote. “There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position. But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment.”

City have consistently maintained their innocence throughout proceedings that have spanned several years. The club’s formal response to the guilty verdict is expected to include a legal challenge, though the sanctions hearing is understood to be proceeding on its own timeline regardless.