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A verdict over Premier League charges against Manchester City is finally set to be delivered after a bombshell report said the club have been “found guilty on almost all of the charges”.
The Independent understands that the former champions have been found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018, in what would be a seminal moment for the richest football league in the world.
The landmark ruling, first reported by The Athletic, follows one of the most significant court cases in the history of sport, with the verdict also having major repercussions for City’s rivals. The Premier League have declined to comment, however.
City, currently top of the Premier League after five games, were charged with over 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules in February 2023, with the club always denying any wrongdoing throughout the process.
An independent commission was appointed following a four-year investigation. Sanctions have not yet been decided, according to The Athletic, and City are expected to appeal. A club spokesperson said the Premier League process “remains ongoing”.
City have been England’s most successful team since the club’s fortunes were transformed by Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in 2008. There are a wide range of punishments available to the top-flight’s authorities. Sanctions could include fines and/or points deductions, and even expulsion as a member of the Premier League.
Follow all the latest news, reaction and analysis to one of the most important moments in the Premier League’s history:
What has Enzo Maresca said on Man City’s charges?
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who took over from Pep Guardiola in the summer, said before the start of the season that he had “no concerns” over the Premier League charges.
Maresca was previously Guardiola’s assistant and was at the club in February 2023 when they were charged by the Premier League with breaking their financial rules.
“The only thing I can say is three years ago, the treble season, I was here, and it was the same words about this,” Maresca said in July.
“In three years, it’s still the same. Nothing has happened. I don’t have any concerns, personally.”
Maresca has won his first five games of the Premier League season after signing a three-year contract.
No sanctions have been announced and Man City are expected to appeal
Manchester City insist the process “remains ongoing”.
The Premier League have not yet announced sanctions, but City are expected to appeal the long-awaited verdict after they were found “guilty on almost all of the charges”.
Possible sanctions include fines, points deductions, and even expulsion from the Premier League.
Those sanctions could be applied now, or retrospectively. That could mean City are stripped of titles and trophies.
City insisted in February 2023 that they were “surprised” by the charges and said there was evidence to prove their innocence.
How did we get here?
The landmark ruling follows one of the most significant court cases in the history of sport. City were charged with over 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules in February 2023 following a four-year investigation.
The Premier League said the alleged breaches took place between 2009 and 2018, and related to providing accurate financial information and failing to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Other charges included an accusation of failing to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation, which was prompted by the Football Leaks revelations.
City have been England’s most successful team since the club’s fortunes were transformed by Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in 2008. The club won the Premier League three times between 2009 and 2018, a period in which the club also won one FA Cup and three League Cups.
Under former manager Pep Guardiola, City won the Premier League in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, including an unprecedented run of four in a row. In 2023, the club also won the Champions League for the first time, completing a historic ‘Treble’ of major prizes.
Man City ‘found guilty of almost all Premier League charges’
Yesterday The Athletic’s David Ornstein has reported that Manchester City “have been found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges”.
We still await confirmation of this from the Premier League with the verdict into the charges still to be officially revealed.
Such an overwhelming verdict would represent victory for the Premier League, who charged City in February 2023.
Why was verdict delayed?
The independent hearing into Man City’s charges concluded in December 2024, yet the nature of the case was described as “hugely complex,” leading to a lengthy delay in the verdict.
The timeframe between the start of the hearing and the judgement has stretched to almost three years.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters admitted to Sky Sports before the 2025/26 season that he had grown frustrated with the situation.
“It’s an independent judiciary essentially,” he said. “They are then in charge of the process and its timings. They hear the case, they decide the outcome and we have no influence over it or its timing.
“My frustration is irrelevant really, I just have to wait. Legal processes rarely take less time than you anticipated. But we have to be patient.”
Manchester City chairman releases statement after reports say club are guilty of breaching financial rules
Khaldoon Al Mubarak addressed supporters in a letter maintaining the club’s innocent despite reports claiming they will be found guilty of 114 charges against them.
Noel Gallagher reacts to Man City news
Oasis musician and big Man City fan Noel Gallagher has expressed his “shock” following yesterday’s news.
Speaking on the Let Me Talk podcast, the prominent City supporter called the decision “quite sad” for fans and squad members.
“A little surprised when I heard it on the radio,” he admitted. “Surprised because only that the club have assured us all along that they vehemently denied any of these charges.
“So it was a bit of a shock to find out that we’ve been found guilty of all but one. But really overall just quite sad really. Sad for the fans and for the players.”
WATCH: The Man City verdict is an earthquake – what comes next could be even bigger
Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney has analysed the situation and says what follows this earthquake could be even bigger
Four Premier League clubs eye £200m in compensation over Man City verdict
Successful legal actions against Manchester City could be worth more than £200m to clubs that make challenges for loss of earnings, according to sources with knowledge of the details, writes Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney.
A number of rivals are planning to pursue legal processes, amid the anticipation that City will be found guilty in almost all of the charges relating to their long-running Premier League case over alleged financial rules breaches. At least four clubs preserved their rights to claim compensation under Section W of the competitions rules.
Sources tell The Independent that those clubs are Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. All four have been contacted for comment, with United and Spurs declining to do so. This essentially locked in their “right to sue” before the statute of limitations passed.
Could the Independent Football Regulator play a role?
If City are indeed found guilty of the most serious charges, the Independent Football Regulator could push for the removal of key figures. That body does have powers under section 34.
Some in football are even broaching the idea of a forced sale due to the severity of the case, given that this would be perceived as the greatest case of cheating in English football history.
It should not be forgotten that this is ultimately about the allegation of submitting false accounting.
The charges didn’t just involve accusations of breaching financial regulations on several occasions, but of not providing accurate payment details.
A sanctions hearing would determine the most immediate punishments. Multiple sources feel this can’t possibly go without a huge points deduction, particularly given the recent precedent of Everton and Nottingham Forest, potentially enough to relegate the club.
