Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League. The development marks a major turn in the league’s long-running financial case against the reigning English champions.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, an independent commission reached the verdict after considering the extensive case. City are expected to appeal the decision. However, sanctions have not yet been determined, meaning the case remains ongoing.
The Premier League initially charged Manchester City in February 2023. The charges followed a lengthy investigation into the club’s finances. They covered several seasons between 2009/10 and 2017/18. 
Man City was allegedly involved financial reporting, sponsorship revenue, player and manager remuneration. They also included alleged breaches of UEFA financial regulations and the Premier League’s profitability rules. City were further accused of failing to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation.
Independent Commission Delivers Verdict
An independent commission set up reportedly found City guilty on all but one of the 115 charges. The findings represent a significant development in one of English football’s longest-running disciplinary cases. However, the verdict does not immediately determine the punishment the club could face. The sanctions process remains outstanding.
A Manchester City spokesperson told The Athletic that the Premier League process was still ongoing.
“Significant elements” remained to be completed, the spokesperson said.
Man City also maintained that its position remained consistent with its February 2023 statement. City have consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the case. The club has also questioned the Premier League’s handling of the proceedings.
“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years,” the spokesperson said.
He added that it expected the Premier League board and executive to act independently. City also stressed that it expected the process to remain impartial and fair.
What Are Manchester City Accused Of?
The Premier League’s case covers alleged breaches across several financial areas. One major area concerns the provision of accurate financial information. The allegations include information relating to revenue, sponsorship income, related parties and operating costs.
The case also covers alleged failures to provide complete details of manager remuneration. Similar allegations concern player remuneration and contractual information. Other charges relate to UEFA’s financial regulations. The Premier League also brought allegations concerning its own profitability and sustainability requirements. City were additionally accused of failing to cooperate with the league’s investigation.
The Premier League confirmed the charges in February 2023 after referring them to an independent commission. The proceedings have since become one of the most extensive disciplinary cases in Premier League history.
City Face Potential Sporting Sanctions
The immediate focus will now shift towards the sanctions process. Premier League rules allow independent commissions to impose several forms of punishment.
These can include fines, points deductions and other sporting sanctions. However, no punishment has yet been confirmed against Manchester City.
The club is also expected to appeal the verdict. Therefore, the final outcome could take considerably longer to determine.
Recent Premier League cases have resulted in points deductions for financial breaches. Everton received points deductions for separate profitability and sustainability breaches. Nottingham Forest also suffered a points deduction during the 2023/24 season.
However, those cases were different from Manchester City’s much broader proceedings. Therefore, previous sanctions cannot automatically determine what City might face.
The club has expressed confidence that the regulatory process should operate independently. Meanwhile, the reported verdict means City must now prepare for another stage. An appeal could challenge the findings reached by the independent commission.
Until that process is completed, the reported verdict does not represent the final conclusion of the dispute.
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