Man City found guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League charges

Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges the Premier League brought against them over alleged breaches of financial regulations.

The verdict is a major development in a case which has hung over City since the Premier League announced the charges in February 2023.

According to The Athletic, sources briefed on the confidential proceedings say the independent commission found City guilty on all but one of the 115 charges.

No sanction has yet been determined, and the full judgement has not been made public. The club are also expected to appeal the findings.

“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,” a City spokesperson said.

City added that their position remains consistent with their February 2023 statement, when they denied wrongdoing and said they possessed a ‘comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence’ supporting their case.

The charges followed a lengthy Premier League investigation which began after German publication Der Spiegel released documents relating to City’s finances in 2018.

The allegations cover several areas, including whether City provided accurate financial information concerning revenue and operating costs.

They also include accusations about disclosing payments to players and managers, and compliance with UEFA financial regulations and the Premier League’s financial rules.

City were additionally accused of failing to co-operate fully with the Premier League’s investigation.

The independent commission hearing began in September 2024 and concluded later that year, but the case’s complexity led to a lengthy wait for an outcome.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters subsequently stressed that the league had no control over when the independent panel would deliver its judgement.

Attention will now turn towards the potential punishment if the findings are upheld.

Premier League rules give independent commissions considerable scope when imposing sanctions, ranging from a reprimand and financial penalties to points deductions.

Expulsion from the Premier League is also among the available powers, although there is currently no indication of which punishment the commission will impose.

City could challenge the verdict through the Premier League’s appeals process rather than the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The development comes with City currently top of the Premier League under Enzo Maresca after winning their opening five league matches of the 2026-27 campaign.

Any sporting sanction could significantly affect the title race, although the expected appeal means the long-running case may not yet have reached its conclusion.