Man City’s expected points deduction revealed as part of 115 charges against them
Manchester City might face a huge points deduction after an independent commission found them guilty of breaking 114 Premier League rules last month. The club was accused of using fake sponsorship deals to boost their earnings by about £900 million between 2009 and 2018 – a time when they won three Premier League titles.
City has always denied the charges, saying they have solid proof to back their case. But if the guilty verdict stays, the final punishment might not be decided until February 8.
Possible punishments could include fines, transfer bans, points deductions, expulsion from the league, or even losing titles. The club’s owners could also be kicked out by the Independent Football Regulator.
City plans to fight this through every legal option to avoid any punishment, while the Premier League wants any penalty to be made before the 2026/27 season ends.
Many want a harsh penalty, like points deductions over several seasons, but insiders from the FA and Premier League think a big points deduction just for one season is more likely. Football Insider reports that City could face a 40 to 50 point deduction in a single season, plus a long transfer ban and a huge fine.
City can appeal the decision, ask for arbitration if they think the process wasn’t fair, and even take the case to the High Court if needed.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes this will be a “long and costly battle,” which could make the split between City and the rest of the Premier League even bigger.
He said, “A lawyer friend told me City have already started making noise and causing distraction. They seem ready for a long fight. The goal might be to make the Premier League think, ‘This could cost us £25m a year – do we want to settle?’ For smaller clubs like Ipswich, Sunderland, and Brentford, that might not feel like their battle since they never competed at City’s level. The real pressure is coming from a few clubs that missed out on trophies or Champions League spots. If this divides the Premier League, it gets even more complicated.”
If City does get hit with a 50-point deduction in one season, it would be the biggest penalty in English football history. The current biggest is Luton Town’s 30-point deduction in 2008/09, which caused them to drop into the National League for the first time ever.
Derby County is next with a 21-point deduction in 2021/22: 12 points for going into administration and 9 for breaking financial rules. Rotherham and Bournemouth both had 17-point deductions in 2008/09 for failing to meet rules after administration. Leeds United had a 15-point deduction in 2007/08 for similar reasons.