Manchester City have rejected an independent Premier League commission’s finding that the club committed serious financial rule breaches over nine seasons, insisting they are innocent and will appeal.
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In a statement issued on Tuesday, the club said it was “disappointed and surprised” by the decision. It maintained that evidence supporting its position had not been properly reflected in the outcome and said it would challenge what it described as “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact”.
The Premier League said the commission upheld all charges concerning serious financial breaches between the 2009–10 and 2017–18 seasons. It also upheld three of four alleged breaches relating to City’s failure to cooperate with the league’s investigation.
According to the league, the commission found that commercial arrangements involving sponsors and other entities had been used to inflate City’s reported revenue and reduce its reported costs by more than £900 million. It said the resulting accounts concealed the club’s true financial position and made it appear compliant with Premier League and UEFA spending rules. These are the commission’s findings, which City disputes and intends to challenge.
“The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League,” City said. The club added that it would pursue the appeal avenues available to it while the disciplinary process continued. It also questioned whether the Premier League’s regulatory process had been impartial.
The Premier League said City has until Friday, 2 October, to appeal the findings. An appeal would be heard by an Appeal Board under the league’s rules. No sanction has been imposed: the question of punishment will be considered at a separate hearing before the independent commission. Potential sanctions under the rules include fines and points deductions, but no particular penalty has been decided in this case.
The league began investigating City in December 2018 and issued its formal complaint in February 2023. The commission’s 42-day hearing concluded in December 2024. A redacted core decision has now been published; additional appendices and the full decision have yet to be made public.
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