The Premier League has officially confirmed that Man City is guilty and shared the details of their punishment.
The Premier League has just made their first official statement confirming that Manchester City has been found guilty of nearly all 115 charges against them.
On Thursday, reports had already suggested that City was guilty of all but one of the charges from the 2023 investigation. Now, the Premier League has confirmed these reports and shared details about the appeal process and when we might hear more about possible punishments.
The statement says Manchester City was guilty of serious financial rule breaches from the 2008/09 season through to 2017/18. They were also found guilty of most charges related to not cooperating properly with the League’s investigation.
Shockingly, the independent Commission found that City set up fake “sham” contracts to make the club’s revenues look bigger and its costs look smaller. They also hid the real financial details from auditors and football regulators.
Some of these fake deals were paid for by the club’s owners, Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG). These deals helped City appear to spend less money than they actually did. There was even a sham agreement involving Fordham, the company paying for players’ image rights, which was secretly funded by ADUG.
The Premier League says Manchester City can appeal the decision, and they are expected to do so by the deadline on Friday, October 2.
Regarding possible punishments, the statement explains that this will be discussed later in a private hearing with the independent Commission. The outcome will only be shared when it is allowed under Premier League rules.
Richard Masters, the Premier League’s Chief Executive, called this “the most important case in Premier League history” and said the verdict confirms their determination to get to the truth. He promised the League will move quickly through the appeal and punishment process to keep the competition fair for all clubs and fans.
Masters said: “The decision shows how Manchester City broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade. It also supports the League’s choice to take on this tough legal battle. Our job is to protect the integrity of the game and make sure all clubs follow the rules.”
The independent Commission’s findings reveal that between 2009/10 and 2017/18, City made fake contracts to falsely boost their revenue and reduce costs by over £900 million. This allowed them to break spending limits set by both the Premier League and UEFA.
During the investigation, City also broke rules by not cooperating properly and trying to block the League’s work.
The Commission’s full findings have been published in a redacted report, with more detailed documents to come soon. The Premier League says they want to finish the whole process, including any appeals, as soon as possible to bring clarity to everyone involved.
Manchester City responded to the news saying they are “disappointed and surprised” by the Commission’s opinion. They insist they are innocent and have strong evidence to support their case. The club said they will fight back through every legal and regulatory channel available, and will appeal the decision, calling it full of mistakes.
City also said they have respected the process for eight years, hoping the Premier League would be fair and unbiased. For now, they cannot say much more until all proceedings are done.
We’ll keep you updated as this story develops!