Manchester City have been found guilty by the Premier League of breaching 114 out of 115 financial regulations.
In a damning 1,545-word statement, the Premier League’s CEO Richard Masters said the findings show that City ‘systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade’.
City were found to have arranged ‘sham’ deals to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900million between 2009 and 2018.
In doing so they concealed the true state of their finances and avoided breaching Premier League and UEFA spending limits during a period in which they won three league titles.
An independent commission found the club guilty on all charges related to breaches of financial rules over the nine-year period.
City recorded £360m in sponsorship in the three seasons they won the Premier League – 2011-12, 2013-14, and 2017-18. However, only £43m of it was legitimate, with the rest from their owners and was disguised.
Everton and Nottingham Forest were handed points deductions in the 2023-24 season for single breaches of financial sustainability rules.
The club continue to deny any wrongdoing and have until Friday to submit an appeal.
The likely punishment is uncertain but according to Premier League rules, City could face a substantial points deduction, a fine or even expulsion from the top division.
Everton and Nottingham Forest were handed points deductions in the 2023-24 season for single breaches of financial sustainability rules.
Richard Masters: Manchester City ‘systematically broke Premier League rules’
In a statement, Masters said: ‘The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade.
‘It also vindicates the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the League has remained determined that the facts be established independently.
‘It is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition. It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and for the fans. We take that role extremely seriously.’
Manchester City statement
In response to the findings, City declared they are ‘disappointed’ and ‘surprised’ by the Premier League commission’s findings.
‘Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission, that has been published today,’ the club declared.
‘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 will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.
‘The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.
‘The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.
‘The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete.’
City have become the Premier League’s dominant force since the 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour, the vice-president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
They have won eight league titles as well as multiple cups over the past 15 years, lifting the Champions League for the first time in 2023.
When the current international break ends, City travel to rivals Liverpool in the Premier League on October 11.
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