An independent panel has found Manchester City guilty of 114 of 115 Premier League financial rule breach charges, according to multiple reports published on September 25, 2025. The club has not yet received formal confirmation from the Premier League, which has not publicly commented on the decision.
The charges stem from an investigation into alleged breaches of financial regulations between 2009 and 2018, including accusations of improper financial reporting and failure to cooperate with the league’s inquiry. The panel’s ruling, delivered in late 2024, was disclosed to clubs in early 2025, though the Premier League has not officially confirmed the verdict.
Potential consequences and next steps
The Premier League has not yet determined penalties, which could range from financial fines to points deductions, title revocations, or even relegation, according to reports. The league has historically reserved the right to apply sanctions retroactively, raising concerns among observers about the potential impact on past titles.
Manchester City has consistently denied wrongdoing and stated that the process remains ongoing. In a statement released on September 25, 2025, the club reiterated its position: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the Club’s statement of February 2023.”
The club has indicated it will appeal any adverse decision, a stance it has maintained since the charges were first announced in February 2023. The hearing, which concluded in December 2024, was the culmination of a three-and-a-half-year investigation, making it the most extensive case in English football history.
Background and historical context
The investigation originated from a 2018 report by German publication Der Spiegel, which alleged that Manchester City had used undisclosed sponsorship payments from Abu Dhabi-based entities to circumvent financial fair play rules. The emails, purportedly hacked by a convicted Portuguese hacker, suggested that £59.5 million in sponsorship revenue from Etihad Airways was actually funded by the club’s owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, rather than the airline itself.
These allegations prompted separate investigations by UEFA and the Premier League. In 2020, UEFA initially banned City from the Champions League for two seasons and fined the club €30 million for breaching financial rules. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the ban in 2021, reducing the fine to €10 million for lack of cooperation.
The Premier League’s case focused on 115 charges, later expanded to 130 due to administrative errors. Roughly two-thirds of the charges pertained to breaches of financial reporting and profit-and-sustainability rules, while the remaining third involved failure to cooperate with the investigation.
Reactions and perspectives
Former Manchester City captain Rodri, now playing for Barcelona, became the first club-associated figure to publicly respond to the ruling. Speaking ahead of Spain’s Nations League match against England on September 27, 2025, Rodri emphasized his belief in the club’s innocence, drawing parallels to the 2020 UEFA case, which was ultimately overturned. “I believe in the justice system and I believe in the innocence of the club,” he stated.
The club’s leadership has similarly framed the process as flawed. In a 2023 statement, Manchester City argued that the Premier League’s investigation lacked impartiality and that the club had “diligently respected due process for eight years.”
What remains unresolved
As of September 2025, the Premier League has not announced a timeline for announcing penalties. The league’s silence has fueled speculation about the potential severity of sanctions, with some reports suggesting that points deductions could be applied retroactively, affecting past seasons.
The case has already had a profound reputational impact, with some pundits and fans arguing that the allegations alone have tarnished the club’s achievements. Others contend that the legal process must run its course before any definitive conclusions are drawn.
Manchester City, which has won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and three League Cups during the period under scrutiny, continues to operate under the shadow of the investigation. The club’s global following and commercial success have amplified scrutiny of its financial practices, making this ruling a pivotal moment in its history.