Manchester City Found Guilty in Premier League's Biggest Case: What Happens Next

After years of waiting, the verdict is in. An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules over nine seasons, from 2009-10 to 2017-18. The ruling, published this week, closes the first chapter of the biggest disciplinary case in English football. City have already said they will fight it.

What the commission found

City faced 115 charges. According to the Premier League's statement, the commission found the club guilty of all charges relating to serious financial breaches. ABC News reported that City were also found guilty of most of the charges about failing to co-operate with the investigation.

The breaches included:

• Sham commercial contracts. Deals with partners were used to inflate the club's revenue artificially.
• Misstated accounts. Information was hidden from auditors.
• Breaches of spending limits. The Premier League said City broke both Premier League and UEFA limits by more than £900 million.
• Failing to co-operate. The club repeatedly failed to co-operate during a four-year investigation.

The commission concluded that "by its conduct the club clearly intended to circumvent the PL Rules". The Premier League has published a redacted version of the "Core Decision" and says it will release the full ruling when its rules allow.

Masters: "The most significant in Premier League history"

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters did not play down the moment. "This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in Premier League history," he said, as reported by ABC News. In the league's statement he added: "Now we have the Commission's decision, we are committed to moving swiftly through the remainder of the process."

City's response

City said they were "disappointed and surprised" by the decision. Sky Sports reported that the club said it was "innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League" and promised to be "relentless" in pursuing the case through "regulatory and legal forums".

What happens now?

1. Appeal. City have until Friday, 2 October to appeal, and Sky Sports reports they have confirmed they will. A new three-person independent panel will hear it. Al Jazeera notes that City cannot take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but could challenge the fairness of the process in England's High Court.

2. Sanctions hearing. Punishment will be decided at a separate, private hearing in front of the commission. Premier League rules allow for fines, points deductions and other sporting sanctions, up to and including expulsion.

3. Timing. This is the hardest question. If sanctions come before the appeal is heard, they could later be overturned. If they come after, City could keep their points for this season. Sky Sports says the Premier League wants the matter settled this season.

Precedents

Recent cases give some idea of scale, although none comes close to this one. Everton were docked points twice in 2023-24 for breaking profit and sustainability rules. Outside the top flight, Derby County lost 21 points in 2021-22 and Luton Town lost 30 in 2008-09.

Key takeaways

• An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all serious financial breach charges covering 2009-10 to 2017-18.
• The Premier League says City breached spending limits by more than £900 million, partly through "sham" commercial contracts.
• City have until 2 October to appeal and say they will.
• Sanctions, which could include points deductions, will be set at a separate hearing.

FAQ

How many charges did Manchester City face? There were 115 charges covering nine seasons, from 2009-10 to 2017-18.

Will Manchester City be docked points? That has not been decided. Sanctions will be set at a separate private hearing, and points deductions are among the options.

Can City appeal? Yes. They have until Friday, 2 October to lodge an appeal, which a new independent panel will hear.

Sources: Premier League, Sky Sports, ABC News, Al Jazeera, CBC