Brief
BDO faces scrutiny over low audit fees for Manchester City
BDO's audit fees for Manchester City were markedly lower than those paid by rival clubs, prompting calls for regulator investigation.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Accountancy firm BDO is under fresh scrutiny after an analysis showed it received audit fees of just £47,000 in 2016 and £42,000 two years later for Manchester City, a figure far below the £500,000 paid by Manchester United to its auditors in 2018. The low fees were highlighted in a Daily Mail report on 3 October 2026, which noted that the payments coincided with the period during which City breached financial rules by about £900 million.
What happened
The Daily Mail reported that BDO, the UK's fifth‑largest accountancy firm, signed off City’s accounts for nine years covering the 2009‑10 to 2017‑18 seasons, when the club was found guilty of 114 of 115 financial fair play breaches. Payments to BDO peaked at £47,000 in 2016 before falling to £42,000 in 2018, according to the newspaper’s analysis of the club’s accounts.
What the reports add
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told the Daily Mail that "£47,000 doesn’t look particularly high" and suggested that a BDO partner would charge £250‑£300 an hour, meaning the audit work for a £500 million business was minimal. The article also noted that the Premier League inquiry found City’s owners used sham sponsorship deals to inflate income, raising questions about the audit’s adequacy.
What was said
"On the face of it £47,000 doesn’t look particularly high," Maguire said, adding that the fee implied limited audit hours for a large club. The Daily Mail quoted him as noting the risk area for a partner reviewing such accounts.
How it came about
The fee scrutiny follows the Premier League’s three‑year inquiry that concluded City’s owners orchestrated financial rule breaches. Pressure is now mounting on the Financial Reporting Council, the audit watchdog, after Liam Byrne, chair of the Commons business and trade select committee, wrote to its chair Jayne‑Anne Gadhia seeking an assessment of the audit failings.
Key facts
- BDO received audit fees of £47,000 in 2016 and £42,000 in 2018 for Manchester City. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Manchester United paid £500,000 to its auditors in 2018, far higher than City’s fees to BDO. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Manchester City was found guilty of breaching financial fair play rules by about £900 million between 2009‑10 and 2017‑18. (dailymail.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “New questions for Manchester City auditors BDO”
