Man City found guilty on vast majority of Premier League financial charges, reports say

Manchester City have been found guilty of breaking the vast majority of the Premier League financial rules they were charged with, according to multiple reports on Friday, in the biggest disciplinary case English football has seen.

The Athletic first reported that an independent commission upheld 114 of the 115 charges. BBC Sport said it had been told the panel had ruled and that most of the counts were upheld. The Premier League has not published a public verdict and has declined to comment, citing a private and confidential process.

What the reports say

The case stems from the Premier League’s February 2023 referral of alleged breaches covering seasons from 2009/10 onwards, including the accuracy of financial information, player and manager remuneration, UEFA financial rules, profitability and sustainability rules, and co-operation with the league’s investigation.

BBC Sport and Sky Sports both report that other Premier League clubs have been informed of the panel’s decision under non-disclosure arrangements. Sanctions have not been decided. Sky Sports News understands the process is moving towards an appeal stage.

Manchester City released a statement saying the “Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,” and that the club’s position remains consistent with its February 2023 statement. The club added that it had “diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

BBC Sport has been told that City will appeal if found guilty. The club has long denied wrongdoing.

Possible sanctions — and what is not decided

Premier League rules give an independent commission a wide range of possible orders. Those can include a points deduction, a fine, compensation, suspension from matches, or, in the most extreme case, a recommendation that a club be expelled. There is no fixed “sanctions grid” for this type of case, so nothing in that range should be treated as an announced punishment.

Reporting also notes that a sanctions hearing may still be months away. Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the commission’s final award is to be published on the league’s website when the process allows. The league’s February 2023 referral statement remains background only and is not a 2026 verdict.

What happens next

An appeal window is expected once parties are formally dealing with the decision. Sky Sports notes that under Premier League Section W rules a party may challenge a commission decision, with any appeal heard by a new board, so uncertainty around the case is likely to continue.

Separately, BBC Sport reports that some Premier League clubs have sought legal advice on whether they could pursue compensation claims linked to any upheld breaches — alongside, not instead of, any sporting sanction.

Until the Premier League publishes the final award, public knowledge rests on reporting from The Athletic, BBC Sport, Sky Sports and others, City’s confidentiality statement, and the league’s refusal to comment. For wider context on how Europe’s biggest leagues are pressing governance questions, see BetAlert’s coverage of their [joint FIFA reform statement](/news/premier-league-bundesliga-laliga-serie-a-fifa-reform-statement).