Independent Panel Finds Manchester City Guilty of 114 Financial Rule Breaches

The panel verdict

An independent arbitration panel has found Manchester City guilty of 114 of the 115 financial charges brought by the Premier League. League executives informed club executives of the outcome during a shareholders meeting on Thursday, requiring all club representatives present to sign non-disclosure agreements. The ruling concludes proceedings that began more than two years after formal arbitration hearings opened and over three and a half years after the league filed charges in February 2023. While the Premier League declined to offer official public comment on Friday, sources confirmed that the panel determined the club acted in bad faith across nearly the entire catalogue of allegations.

Scope and nature of the charges

The charges centred on financial reporting across the seasons between 2009 and 2018, following the 2008 takeover of the club by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan through the Abu Dhabi United Group. The case originated with leaked internal emails and documents published by German magazine Der Spiegel in 2018, which alleged that the club masked the true source of revenue tied to Abu Dhabi state entities. Specific allegations detailed that former manager Roberto Mancini, who led the team from 2009 to 2013, received unrecorded payments through a secondary contract with Abu Dhabi-based club Al Jazira. Over 80 counts accused City of failing to provide accurate financial accounts and failing to act in utmost good faith during inquiries. The remaining charges cited breaches of profitability and sustainability rules, UEFA financial fair play regulations, and 20 infractions concerning full disclosures of manager and player remuneration.

Club response and planned appeal

Manchester City issued a formal response on Friday indicating that the regulatory process has not fully concluded. The club reiterated its defence from February 2023, asserting that it has adhered to all formal procedures for eight years under the expectation of an impartial tribunal. City officials are expected to appeal the ruling, an effort that could extend legal proceedings for several months.

The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.

Former manager Pep Guardiola, who managed the club from 2016 until his departure earlier in 2026, consistently maintained the hierarchy's innocence when addressing the investigation during his tenure.

My first thought is we're already being condemned. It's the same with Uefa, we were already condemned. The club proved we were completely innocent.

Potential sanctions and sporting implications

The disciplinary panel has not yet finalized sanctions for the violations, leaving both sporting and financial penalties under active review. The range of potential penalties includes monetary fines, severe league points deductions, and possible expulsion from the English top flight. Over the 2009 to 2023 period covered by the broader investigation, City collected seven Premier League titles, one Champions League title, three FA Cups, and six League Cups. The case follows a prior disciplinary dispute in 2020, when UEFA banned the club from European competitions for two years, a sanction that the Court of Arbitration for Sport later overturned. Current manager Enzo Maresca now leads the squad as the club prepares its formal appeal against the Premier League panel's findings.