In the next month or so, an independent commission is expected to announce whether Manchester City will face any punishment for over a hundred alleged financial rule breaches.
The club is facing approximately 115 charges from the Premier League following a private hearing.
Prior to the verdict, Sky News’ sports correspondent Rob Harris interviewed top football finance experts at the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit 2025 to discuss their predictions and answer reader questions.
But before delving into their insights, let’s review the background of the case.
What are the charges?
The majority of the charges pertain to rules mandating clubs to provide accurate financial information, which City is accused of violating.
These include inaccuracies in sponsorship deals and player/manager payments.
Additionally, there are allegations of breaching UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations and the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
City is also accused of non-cooperation with the league’s investigation.
The charges span every season from 2009-10 to 2022-23. During this period, City secured seven Premier League titles, three FA Cups, six League Cups, and a Champions League victory.
The club vehemently denies the allegations and welcomes the impartial consideration of the evidence by the independent commission.
More context:
Rob Harris elaborates on the charges and their implications
A comprehensive guide to Financial Fair Play in football
What’s next?
Following the charges, private hearings were conducted where evidence and arguments were presented by lawyers from the Premier League and Manchester City.
An independent commission comprising retired senior judges will soon deliver their ruling on the case.
They could find City guilty on all counts, some of them, or absolve the club of any wrongdoing.
Your questions
While awaiting the verdict, experts addressed reader queries at the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit 2025. Rob Harris conversed with:
- Matt Hughes, sports journalist at FootBiz
- Simon Leaf, sports lawyer at Mishcon de Reya
- Martin Lipton, chief sports reporter at The Sun
‘Unprecedented circumstances’
Matt Hughes highlighted the significant impact of the case on the football landscape over the past few years.
«A decade ago, discussions about competition law and associated party transactions in football would have been unimaginable,» he remarked.
Simon Leaf echoed this sentiment, describing the case as «truly unprecedented» in football history, considering the relatively recent inception of financial regulations in the sport.
«This is uncharted territory,» he added.
With such a complex case, the challenge lies in proving the allegations.
Martin Lipton emphasized the daunting task for the Premier League in substantiating the charges, requiring irrefutable evidence of City’s purported misconduct.
Premier League’s headquarters in London. Pic: Reuters
Potential repercussions of guilty verdicts
If City is found guilty of some charges, what penalties could they face?
Could this result in substantial fines or points deductions for each infraction?
The experts note that the outcome remains uncertain until the full verdict is disclosed.
«The exact number of charges City is confronting is still unknown,» Hughes pointed out, emphasizing the confidentiality surrounding the case.
Lipton added that clarity on the charges will only emerge post-verdict.
Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Image source: Reuters
What about an appeal?
Either side can appeal against any ruling.
«We’re hoping to get an initial judgment next month,» Hughes said, adding the issue as a whole won’t be resolved for a long time, whatever the verdict is.
Leaf noted that it’s highly unlikely there will be a finding that both sides are happy with, making the possibility of a lengthy appeals process high.
«If there’s an appeal, there’s a separate commission [that presides over it],» Lipton said, suggesting that we’d effectively be starting again.
You can watch Rob’s full Q&A with Matt, Simon and Martin at the top of this page.
Pic: Reuters