An independent panel found Manchester City guilty of 114 out of 115 financial charges brought by the Premier League in February 2023, spanning the period from 2009 to 2018.
In a statement on 26 September 2026, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak insisted the club will prove its innocence throughout the remaining legal stages.
City has 14 days to appeal before a three-member Premier League panel, with hearings and deliberation expected to run until late January or early February 2027.
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of extensive financial breaches, according to British media reports published on 25 September 2026. The case originated from internal financial documents published by German outlet Der Spiegel detailing player remuneration, managerial contracts, and sponsorship agreements between 2009 and 2018. Following that publication, the Premier League conducted a multi-year investigation that culminated in 115 formal charges filed against the club in February 2023 for alleged breaches of UEFA Fair Play and domestic profitability and sustainability regulations. While the Premier League and Manchester City have not officially announced the verdict due to confidentiality rules, leaked details confirmed 114 infractions. Other British publications cited varying totals, with The Guardian reporting 130 confirmed violations and The Times reporting 134.
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Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued an official statement to supporters on Saturday, 26 September 2026, maintaining the club's innocence across the charges. Al Mubarak, who noted his 18-year tenure at the organisation, addressed the volume of inquiries received by staff and fans following Friday's reports. He stated that the formal legal proceedings remained far from complete.
“The Premier League process still has a long way to go, and our confidence and intention to demonstrate the club's innocence are as strong as when all this began.”
Al Mubarak explained that strict legal confidentiality restricted the specific evidence he could disclose publicly, noting that his letter underwent multiple legal reviews before publication. He rejected outside commentary regarding the club's operational conduct.
“While some have rushed to draw their own conclusions and there is a lot of noise around us, nothing has changed. We have faced challenges together before and we came through. There are still many who want to undermine the momentum of our club. We will not give them that opportunity.”
The verdict leaves Manchester City facing potential disciplinary actions that include financial fines, points deductions, stripped titles, relegation, or expulsion from the Premier League, alongside potential lawsuits from rival clubs. The club possesses a 14-day window to lodge a formal appeal against the commission's findings. Once submitted, the chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel will appoint a three-member legal committee to examine the appeal.
That appellate committee has 12 weeks to conduct hearings with representatives from both the league and the club. Following the hearings, the panel receives one month to review legal arguments and formulate a decision, pointing toward a resolution by late January or early February 2027.
Alongside the legal dispute, Manchester City continues its scheduled sporting calendar following the international break. In his message, Al Mubarak referenced the club's past successes under manager Pep Guardiola at Wembley and in Istanbul, directing attention to upcoming competitive fixtures. Manchester City travels to face Liverpool at Anfield in two weeks, followed by a home fixture at the Etihad Stadium against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.
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Khaldoon Al Mubarak said Manchester City will contest an independent commission ruling that found the club guilty of 114 financial rule violations dating between 2009 and 2018.
AI text based on reports by EL MUNDO, El Confidencial, europa press and other publishers. Published .