Gary Lineker has said it should not be a surprise if Manchester City are stripped of their Premier League titles. The club have been found guilty of breaching 114 financial rules by an independent panel, and while City are appealing the decision, the process for a punishment hearing has started.
Potential sanctions and title stripping
A significant fine, transfer embargo, points deduction and Premier League expulsion are all potential sanctions. The stripping of titles won between 2009 and 2018, the nine-year period in which City have been found in breach of financial rules, has also been mooted by rival fans but is seen as unlikely.
That has not stopped Lineker from suggesting as much, with the former Premier League striker offering his thoughts on the case and who will suffer most.
Lineker's verdict at Leaders Week
Speaking at Leaders Week London 2026 at Stamford Bridge, Lineker said: "It looks really bad for Manchester City. It really does. When they talk about the Premier League conspiracy theories, you just think to yourself, well, this is actually the last thing in the world that the Premier League would want.
"So, I'd love to see City now just own it and just say, 'OK, we got it wrong but for the good of the game, we'll accept it, accept whatever punishment comes our way and we'll carry on.'
"That would be a blessing and they could save their face a little bit. At the moment that doesn't look very likely. But it is damaging. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes down the route of titles being stripped.
"Ultimately, who suffers from that? Players and fans. It's going to be one of those punishments, and it has to be, obviously, severe, because we are talking about a lot of offences.
"So it's going to be difficult, and everyone will have a different idea of what this should be. It's not something I've really experienced very often in my career.
"I remember when English clubs were banned from Europe, and it cost me playing in the European Cup for Everton. So, again, players will suffer from this, and that's that."
City's appeal and upcoming fixture
City have already overturned a Champions League ban from UEFA and will be looking to do the same with this verdict. It has been just over a week since the Premier League confirmed the findings from the eight-week hearing that took place in late 2024.
It has since been reported that City actually discovered the outcome over the summer and still went on to spend in the region of £400m. Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United, who all reserved the legal right to seek compensation, were the next parties reportedly told of the decision, with the other 15 Premier League clubs informed on later.
City are due to face one of those teams, Liverpool, this Sunday, with a hugely hostile atmosphere awaiting them at Anfield.
