Manchester City have lodged an appeal against the independent panel's findings on breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. The English top flight released an official statement on Tuesday afternoon, confirming that the club had been found guilty on the majority of the charges they were slapped with in 2023.
A statement read: "An independent Commission has found Manchester City FC guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation."
City confirm appeal
City had the option to appeal the decision up until Friday, October 2 - with the club now confirming that they have done so. A statement from the club read: "Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at 7pm on Thursday 1st October 2026 the Club lodged its comprehensive Appeal against the opinion of the Premier League Commission, in relation to the Premier League disciplinary matter."
It comes as little to no surprise that the club have appealed the independent panel's findings, given they have consistently plead their innocence on the alleged infractions - which are said to have taken place between 2009 and 2018 - since being slapped with them three years ago.
Findings and potential penalties
As per the Premier League, City have been found to have 'artificially inflate' revenues and reduce costs by more than £900million over a nine-year period, to "appear to comply with financial rules." The commission found that the club filed "misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances."
As a result, City could be in for an extreme penalty should they be unsuccessful in their appeal. While the likes of fines, transfer embargoes and points deductions have been speculated by fans and pundits worldwide, the club are also at risk of being stripped of their titles won during the period affected by alleged breaches, and even demotion down the football leagues.
Reaction from figures
Former City chairman David Bernstein, meanwhile, believes that the club's current ownership need to resign from their respective posts. He told talkSPORT: "I can't think of a sanction severe enough for this, honestly. It's absolutely terrible.
"I want to raise another issue, and that's the stance of the board of directors. Because the club's directors, including the CEO, who has been in the position for years and has lived through this entire period, are responsible for the club's operations in every respect.
"If this were a public company, I believe that the directors, faced with a matter as serious as this, would have to resign or be suspended pending the outcome of all this...appeal or no appeal. I don't think the current board can continue credibly. What credibility can a board of directors have that has been involved in systematic abuses for a long period?"
Jamie Carragher has also called for City to put up or shut up regarding innocence, urging the club to provide evidence clearing their name or face the punishment they are handed. He told Sky Sports: "The club are going to get punished.
"For me, this is all about the owners. I don't know how the owners can continue in English football. We talk about the fit and proper test for owners, what they have done over ten years now in the Premier League and this stain that will be there for the next ten years about 'did they win it really, was that fair?'
"This all starts with Manchester City and it starts because they do not like the word 'no'. When the rules came in, it's in the emails: 'We can do what we want'. And when you see the statements in the last couple of days, the one from [Ferran] Soriano last night, it actually beggars belief what you are watching and hearing here.
"Until they move away from the club, I don't know how this stain is ever removed from the club. I just don't see how the ownership can continue after what has happened here and the way they are actually reacting to it.
"How can they be surprised, and that they have got irrefutable evidence? Where is it? Put it out there, surely. If you have irrefutable evidence of something and you are getting charged by the police, you hand it to them because you want this over with as quickly as possible. City have almost dragged this on, kicking the can down the road."
City will not be slapped with a punishment until the appeal process is complete, with the Premier League looking to move through the investigation as soon as possible. For now, it appears as though football fans will have to wait a while longer to learn City's fate.
