The Premier League has confirmed that an independent Commission has found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the League’s financial rules over a nine-season period.
The Commission’s findings cover the period between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons and represent a major development in the Premier League’s long-running case against the club.
Manchester City were also found guilty of the majority of charges relating to their alleged failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation, with three of the four alleged breaches upheld.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City arranged what it described as “sham” contracts with a number of commercial partners.
The agreements allegedly misrepresented the true arrangements between the parties and were found to have been used to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs.
The Commission also found that Manchester City filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of their finances from both auditors and football regulators.
As part of its findings, the Commission concluded that the club was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s spending limits and UEFA’s financial regulations during the period under investigation.
The findings also relate to Manchester City’s conduct during the Premier League’s investigation.
The Commission found that the club committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League, with three of the four alleged charges being upheld.
The verdict marks a significant stage in a case that has been ongoing for several years, but the process is not yet complete.
Manchester City have the right to appeal the independent Commission’s findings and have until Friday, October 2, to exercise that right.
The Premier League Board has stated that its intention is for the full process, including any appeal proceedings and the publication of relevant decisions, to be concluded as soon as possible.
The issue of sanctions will also need to be addressed following the Commission’s findings.
The Premier League has not yet confirmed what punishment Manchester City will face, meaning the sporting and financial consequences of the verdict remain to be determined.
For now, the Commission’s ruling establishes that the charges brought against Manchester City have been upheld, while the club retains its right to challenge the findings through the appeal process.
The next stage will therefore determine the sanctions and any further consequences arising from the Commission’s decision.
