Manchester City found guilty in Premier League finance case; club to appeal
October 7, 2026 16:00
An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations across a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. The commission concluded the club artificially inflated revenue through what it described as "sham" sponsorship agreements.
The club has protested its innocence and lodged an appeal. In a short statement, Manchester City said the commission's ruling contained "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe."
KEY CONTEXT
During the 2009–2018 period cited by the commission, Manchester City spent around $1.5 billion on transfers and won eight trophies, including three Premier League titles.
The case and its possible consequences were the subject of discussion on the BBC podcast More than the Score, where presenter Delyth Lloyd was joined by Kieran Maguire, professor of football finance at the University of Liverpool, and Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at Emlyon Business School, to consider the ruling and its wider implications.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Manchester City has lodged an appeal against the commission's findings. No further procedural details or timelines were provided in the source material.