Manchester City Found Guilty of Financial Rule Breaches by Premier League

City was found to have inflated its revenues and minimized costs through these sham agreements. The club has been given until October 2 to appeal the decision, maintaining its stance of innocence regarding the allegations.

The commission's report highlighted more than 100 individual breaches across four main categories. While City was cleared of one charge regarding non-cooperation, the commission noted that several key witnesses from the club provided false and dishonest testimony during the investigation.

City recorded £360 million in sponsor fees during the seasons they won the Premier League but only £43 million of that was deemed legitimate, with the remainder sourced from its owners and misrepresented. The commission characterized these sponsorship agreements as lacking genuine economic substance, illustrating deliberate actions taken to circumvent Premier League regulations.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the competition, stating that the league had acted to uphold its rules consistently.

City's upcoming sanctions will be determined in a separate hearing, which will remain private and confidential. Concerns have been raised by various figures regarding the implications of the ruling, with former City chairman David Bernstein asserting that the situation jeopardizes the credibility of the league itself.

In response, Manchester City expressed disappointment and surprise at the commission's conclusions, stating that they possess irrefutable evidence of their innocence and will vigorously appeal. The club underscored its commitment to due process throughout the eight-year investigation.

The lengthy investigation has roots in allegations published by Der Spiegel in November 2018, which prompted inquiries by both UEFA and the Premier League. Past events include UEFA's two-year ban on City, overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in July 2020. The Premier League started charging City with 115 financial rule violations in February 2023.

As for responses within the club, CEO Ferran Soriano described a purported conspiracy against Manchester City and expressed confidence that the club would ultimately be vindicated.