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Manchester City's rise from Premier League also-rans to one of the most formidable clubs in global football—and champions of Europe—has not been without its share of controversy.
In February 2023, the club, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, was hit with 115 charges by the Premier League for alleged breaches of financial regulations, alongside accusations of failing to cooperate fully with the investigation.
City have firmly denied all allegations.
As it stands, the case remains unresolved, continuing to stir debate among supporters—particularly given the club's sustained success in English football.
So what
Here's a breakdown of the charges against Manchester City, the background to the case, the current status of proceedings, and the potential consequences the club could face—whenever a verdict is ultimately delivered—should they be found guilty.
What Are the 115 Charges Against Man City?
Following a four-year investigation, Manchester City were formally charged in February 2023 with 115 alleged violations of the Premier League's financial regulations—though depending on how the charges are classified, that figure has been reported as high as 134.
At a broad level, the league accuses the club of breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) by allegedly disguising owner investment as sponsorship income, as well as failing to fully disclose certain payments made to players and coaching staff.
These rules are designed to ensure clubs operate within their financial means, capping expenditure relative to legitimate revenue in order to preserve competitive balance and financial stability across the league.
The alleged violations are said to have taken place between 2009 and 2018, a period during which City claimed three Premier League titles.
Man City FFP Charges: Latest Updates
The in-person hearing into Manchester City's case—conducted behind closed doors by an independent commission—got underway on Sep. 16, 2024, and wrapped up on Dec. 6 after nearly three months of proceedings.
Since then, the three-member panel has been deliberating on its ruling and no official update has been issued.
The Premier League has declined to comment publicly, maintaining its longstanding silence on the matter. City, for their part, have welcomed the process and insist there is a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" backing their position.
When Will There Be a Decision on Man City's Charges?
The absence of any clear timeline has fueled widespread speculation. Some theories attribute the delays to the sheer complexity of the case, with the panel carefully working through vast amounts of evidence to ensure a thorough and legally sound ruling. Others point to more practical considerations, such as the part-time status of the commission members.
Notably, the Premier League operates without a strict deadline for resolving such matters, which is why it has been able to pursue charges dating as far back as 2009.
City manager Pep Guardiola suggested in February 2025 that a decision could come within "one month," but that window passed without any announcement.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has also refused to be drawn on the situation, stating at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London in February 2026, per BBC Sport: "I simply can't comment. Having spent three years not commenting, I'm not going to start now. More broadly, any regulator wants its judicial system to be efficient and work quickly—that's as far as I can go."
Man City Charges: Possible Punishments
Under Premier League regulations, a variety of sanctions could be applied if Manchester City are found guilty, ranging from financial penalties and points deductions to, in the most extreme scenario, expulsion from the league.
Recent precedents offer some context: Everton and Nottingham Forest received points deductions of two and four points respectively for financial rule breaches—though those cases were considerably less serious in scope.
Football finance analyst Kieran Maguire has suggested City could face a far more severe penalty if the gravest allegations are proven, potentially amounting to a deduction of between 40 and 60 points. However, automatic relegation is considered unlikely under the existing framework.
"The Premier League cannot relegate Manchester City to League One or League Two because that is an EFL decision," Maguire said on The Overlap. "Therefore, it has to be a points deduction."
He added: "The numbers involved are likely to be significant. If you look at previous cases, you'd probably have to add a zero—so somewhere between a 40- and 60-point deduction would be consistent."
Could Man City Appeal?
Once a verdict is delivered, both Manchester City and the Premier League have 14 days to lodge an appeal.
Any appeal would be heard by a newly constituted three-person panel, appointed by Murray Rosen KC, chair of the Premier League's judicial panel.
An appeal would postpone the enforcement of any punishment. However, the final ruling would be binding, with neither party able to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Read the Latest Man City News, Analysis and Insight From SI FC
Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports journalist who has contributed to The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to interview some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and many more.