Brief

Manchester City found guilty of 114 of 115 financial rule breaches

An independent commission has ruled that Manchester City breached the Premier League’s financial rules in 114 of 115 cases, a verdict that could lead to fines, points deductions or relegation.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:38:12 GMT

The Premier League has confirmed that Manchester City are guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them for breaching the league’s financial rules over a nine‑season period. The verdict, delivered by an independent commission, was announced last Friday and has now been formally endorsed by the Premier League in a statement released on 29 September.

According to the commission, the club engaged in a range of “sham” contracts and agreements with commercial partners between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, inflating revenue figures and reducing costs. The club also filed misstated accounts and concealed its true financial position from auditors and football regulators. The breaches also extended to the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits.

Manchester City’s chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has denied wrongdoing and said the club will appeal. He remains confident that the club will prove its innocence. The club has until 2 October to lodge an appeal, while the Premier League has not yet announced the specific sanctions that may be imposed.

Hull City owner Acun Ilicali, speaking on the Hull Daily Mail’s The 1904 Club podcast, compared the alleged financial doping to winning an Olympic medal by doping and called for a severe punishment to deter other clubs. He said, “If they are not innocent, I think it is no different to doping and winning an Olympic medal.”

Earlier Felo coverage noted that the findings confirm a “period of deception” in football and warned that the club could face fines, points deductions or relegation. The club’s future participation in the Premier League and Champions League remains uncertain as it prepares for upcoming fixtures against Liverpool and PSG.

Key facts

Manchester City found guilty of 114 of 115 financial rule breaches (independent.co.uk)
Independent commission found club used sham contracts to inflate revenue (independent.co.uk)
Club denied wrongdoing and will appeal by 2 October (independent.co.uk)
Hull City owner compared breaches to Olympic doping (independent.co.uk)

Background

Felo’s earlier coverage highlighted the club’s denial of wrongdoing, the potential for fines, points deductions or relegation, and the impact on player contracts and club stability.

Why it matters

The verdict could lead to significant sanctions that would affect Manchester City’s standing in domestic and European competitions and the future of its players and staff.