UK tax authority probed Manchester City accounts in 2018 following leaked email cache

The 2018 tax inquiry

HM Revenue & Customs opened an investigation into Manchester City in 2018 to examine whether the club used complex corporate structures to reduce its tax liabilities. The civil inquiry began after the German news magazine Der Spiegel published a series of leaked internal club emails at the end of 2018. HMRC conducted the review under Code of Practice 8, a procedure used when tax authorities suspect complex avoidance schemes rather than deliberate fraud. Manchester City instructed external lawyers to advise it during the inquiry and maintained to officials that its commercial deals were entirely standard. HMRC has not taken any action against the club, has not officially closed the case, and declined to comment on individual taxpayer affairs.

Premier League ruling and financial findings

The publication of internal emails in late 2018 also prompted the Premier League to initiate a separate investigation in December 2018 into allegations that the club manipulated its accounts. In September 2026, an independent commission concluded its review of 115 charges brought against Manchester City covering the period from 2009 to 2018. The commission found the club guilty of all but one charge, determining that Manchester City inflated its financial position by more than £900 million (approximately €1.1 billion) through sham commercial agreements designed to disguise funding from its owner. The panel additionally found that the club lowered its recorded operating costs by paying former manager Roberto Mancini via an off-the-books consultancy contract.

Club appeal and possible sanctions

Manchester City lodged a formal appeal against the ruling on 2 October 2026, disputing the findings and claiming that the verdict rests on flawed legal reasoning.

The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions relating to this case.

The club also maintained that the opinion contains clear material errors of law, principle, and fact, making it unsafe. Although the independent commission has not yet announced specific penalties, the club faces possible sanctions ranging from monetary fines and transfer restrictions to points deductions, the stripping of previous trophies, or complete expulsion from the Premier League. British government ministers expect that the scale of the alleged financial irregularities could encourage HMRC to increase scrutiny of the club.

Diplomatic and sporting fallout

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, acquired the club in 2008. Since the takeover, Manchester City has collected eight Premier League titles and won the UEFA Champions League in 2023 following substantial investments in player recruitment. The ruling has also triggered broader discussions about matches played between 2009 and 2018, including remarks from referee Mike Dean regarding player behavior in the 2012 title decider against Queens Park Rangers, which drew pushback from former QPR forward Djibril Cissé. Furthermore, Emirati officials have warned the UK government that the ruling could weaken their willingness to fund infrastructure projects in Britain, while primary club partner Etihad has criticized the Premier League for regulatory ambiguity.