Everton and Liverpool could be in line for a combined £53m payday following the reported verdict on Manchester City's 115 charges of financial breaches.
The long-running saga appears to have reached a conclusion after The Athletic reported that an independent panel had found City guilty of 114 of the 115 charges made against them.
The final outcome is yet to be officially announced, but the North West club could face a wide range of punishments. Consequences could include being stripped of titles during the period of alleged wrongdoing, relegation or expulsion from the Premier League, a huge points deduction, transfer ban, or heavy fine.
Potential compensation breakdown
According to data specialists OLBG, City could be forced to pay out more than £527m in domestic prize money to their domestic rivals. Everton and Liverpool could be due £53,367,543 between them based on the difference in merit payments; however, with a number of clubs lining up to submit other claims against City, a staggering sum could be owed in financial compensation.
City's 115 charges include breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. The club launched a legal battle against Associate Party Transaction (APT) rules, which cover commercial and sponsorship deals with companies owned or associated with the same club's owners. However, the majority of Premier League clubs support the rules.
How the figures were calculated
OLBG has run an analysis covering every season from 2011/12 to 2025/26, examining the potential financial repercussions of a guilty outcome. The 2025/26 figures are currently based on estimates, as the Premier League is yet to confirm official payments for last season.
According to the analysis, Liverpool could be owed an additional £24,423,357 in merit payments, whilst Everton would be due an even bigger renumeration of £28,944,186.
The calculation of potential compensation relies on the central revenue Premier League clubs received during the relevant timeframe. This revenue comprises six distinct streams: Equal Share, Facility Fees, Merit Payment, International Equal Share, International Merit Payment, and Central Commercial.
Except for Facility Fees (determined by broadcast appearances) and Merit Payments (determined by final league placement), all other revenues are split evenly across every club.
Data sourced from official Premier League reports and sports news outlets was used to evaluate potential liabilities for City. By removing City from the league tables and shifting all lower-placed teams up by one spot, recalculated merit payments were established.
No further action will be possible until the findings of the independent panel are officially confirmed, but should the reported results prove to be accurate, City are expected to appeal against the outcome.
