Manchester City Found Guilty On 114 EPL Financial Charges

Photo: Arne Müseler / arne-mueseler.com, CC BY-SA 3.0

Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 out of 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.

This is for breaching financial rules, in what has become the biggest disciplinary case in the competition's history. The verdict, revealed on September 25, 2026, has not yet come with any confirmed punishment, and City are widely expected to appeal the decision.

Why should anyone outside England care about this? Simply put, if the ruling stands, it could affect trophies the club won over the past decade, open the door to legal action from rival clubs, and reshape how football's richest owners are policed going forward. That is a lot to unpack, so let's break this saga down step by step.

This explainer covers exactly where the case began, what City were actually accused of doing, and what could realistically happen to the club next.

 

How Did This Entire Saga Begin?

Everything traces back to November 2018, when the German newspaper Der Spiegel published leaked financial documents from City as part of the wider Football Leaks scandal. Those documents suggested the club may have misled football's regulators about its finances for years. The Premier League launched a formal investigation the following month, and after a lengthy four-year process, City were formally charged in February 2023.

• 2008: Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group buys Manchester City
• November 2018: Der Spiegel publishes leaked financial documents
• December 2018: The Premier League opens its investigation
• February 2023: City are charged with 115 rule breaches
• September 2024: Disciplinary hearings finally begin
• September 2026: The independent panel delivers its verdict

Notably, the alleged breaches themselves stretch all the way back to City's very first full season under new ownership in 2009-10, meaning this investigation covers almost the entire period of the club's transformation into one of English football's dominant forces.

 Also Read: Manchester City Beat Chelsea to Win the 2026 FA Cup Final

What Were City Actually Accused Of Doing?

Stripped of legal jargon, City faced five broad categories of accusations. Put simply, regulators believed the club had not been honest about where its money came from and where it went.

• Giving inaccurate financial information to the Premier League between 2009 and 2018
• Hiding the true details of payments made to managers and players during roughly the same period
• Breaching UEFA's financial fair play rules between 2013 and 2018
• Breaching the Premier League's own profitability and sustainability rules from 2015 to 2018
• Refusing to properly cooperate with investigators between 2018 and 2023

City have always denied every allegation, insisting they hold "irrefutable evidence" supporting their innocence. Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has also argued publicly that the Premier League needs a "bit more sensibility in regulating" rather than treating success with suspicion.

 

What Could Happen To City Now?

Nothing is decided yet, and that confuses plenty of casual fans. Under rule W.51 of the Premier League's handbook, punishments could range from a simple reprimand or fine, all the way up to points deductions or even expulsion from the league entirely. Panels can also mix and match several penalties together if they judge that appropriate.

City will almost certainly appeal first, and legal experts suggest that process alone could take another two to three years to fully resolve. Should the appeal fail, a separate hearing would then decide exactly which punishment fits the crime.

 

Could City Actually Lose Their Titles?

Probably not, according to most legal specialists following the case closely. Panels generally avoid stripping trophies retroactively since doing so creates messy, unsatisfying outcomes for everyone involved. Any points deduction would more likely apply to a future season instead, though nothing can be completely ruled out until sanctions are formally announced.

 

How Has Everyone Reacted So Far?

Reactions have varied wildly depending on who you ask. Former City midfielder Rodri, speaking while on international duty, defended his old club passionately, insisting he still believes "in the club's innocence." Rival supporters and pundits, meanwhile, have already begun questioning whether recent Premier League titles deserve an asterisk attached.

Politicians have trodden more carefully. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stressed that people should study the full written findings before jumping to conclusions, a sentiment several legal experts echoed given how complicated this case has become.

 

The Saga Is Far From Over

Despite Friday's dramatic headline, this story remains very much unfinished business. An appeal looks certain, sanctions remain completely unknown, and rival Premier League clubs are already exploring potential legal action of their own over lost revenue and missed opportunities. For football fans who support City passionately, day-to-day life around the club continues unchanged for now, though the eventual outcome could still reshape how English football's biggest spenders get policed for years to come.

Find Out How: Man City 2-0 Arsenal: Nico O’Reilly Brace Wins Carabao Cup