Manchester City found guilty on 114 charges relating to Premier League financial regulations
Manchester City have been found guilty on 114 of their 115 charges from the Premier League, reports suggest.
The Citizens were initially charged with breaking financial fair play rules over a nine-year period, which started in 2009 and went on until 2018.
Now, renowned football journalist David Ornstein has reported that the Premier League giants have been found guilty on 114 out of 115 of those charges, which could spell huge sanctions for the side currently top of the English footballing pyramid, although City are expected to appeal the decision.
The sanctions are also yet to be confirmed but previous reports have suggested that potential punishments could range from reprimand and fines to points deductions, or even a drastic expulsion from the Premier League.
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A Manchester City spokesperson told The Athletic: “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 diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
Ornstein broke the news that the club have been found guilty on all but one of their charges, which includes failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, as well as breaches of UEFA’s financial fair play (FFP) regulations and the league’s own profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).
Much of the club's success has come after the 2008 takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group, who have injected billions into the club to make it into the powerhouse that it is today.
City enjoyed great success in the aforementioned period between 2009 and 2018, winning the Premier League three times, the FA Cup and the League Cup three times, with more success following both domestically and in Europe over the past eight years.
That period also saw legendary coach Pep Guardiola hired in 2016 before he left at the end of last season, to be replaced by Enzo Maresca, who has won all of his games in charge of the club so far, including the dramatic 1-0 derby day win at Old Trafford earlier this month.
City have always denied the allegations against them and while a suitable punishment is still being considered, it could prove to be a significant blow in their hopes of regaining the Premier League title this season, after they were pipped to the post by Arsenal in the 2025/26 campaign.
The charges in full can be seen below:
- Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009/10 to and including 2017/18 - 54 alleged breaches
- Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 - present [February 2023] - 35 alleged breaches
- Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation from 2009/10 to and including 2017/18 - 14 alleged breaches
- Breaches of Premier League profitability and sustainability regulations from 2015/16 to and including 2017/18 - 7 alleged breaches
- Failure to comply with UEFA's regulations, including UEFA's Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations - 5 alleged breaches
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League
James Moorhouse