Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League charges against them, according to reports. The independent panel has found the club guilty of all but one count but has not yet decided the recommended punishment for the eight-time Premier League winners.
Club found guilty of financial breaches
The Premier League claimed City breached rules that required the club to provide "accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club's financial position." The Premier League has declined to comment since the verdict was reached.
City will appeal against any sanctions they face. The club's charges relate strictly to the period 2009 to 2018.
Possible punishments under consideration
One potential course of action is for City to be relegated from the Premier League. Their rivals are likely to push for the strictest possible punishments, as they will feel they were wrongly denied titles and prize money. Points deductions and stripped titles are among the other sanctions rivals could push for.
Liverpool were runners-up to City twice during that period, in 2013-14 and 2018-19. Manchester United also finished second to City twice during that spell, in 2011-12 and 2017-18. A more likely punishment would relate strictly to City and could see them pushed into the English Football League.
Club statement and long-running process
A statement from City read: "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 statement added: "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."
The process began in November 2018 when reports from German newspaper Der Spiegel alleged that City had breached FFP rules, which triggered a formal UEFA investigation. A two-year ban from European competitions and a €30million fine were later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The Premier League charged City with 115 financial breaches in February 2023, with a 10-week hearing between the Premier League and the club getting underway in September 2024. Former City boss Pep Guardiola was expected to learn the verdict of that hearing in February 2025, but only now has it arrived. The process could yet drag on a lot longer, with no punishment decided and an appeal inevitable.
