Manchester City’s ongoing 115 charges for alleged breaches of financial regulations continue to cast a shadow over both the club and the Premier League.
The Premier League charged City in February 2023 over a number of alleged financial rule violations said to have occurred between 2009 and 2018, accusations the club strongly denies.
The matter was referred to an independent commission, but a verdict has still not been delivered — more than three years after the charges were first issued and nearly 18 months since the hearing concluded in December 2024.
According to the Premier League, Manchester City breached regulations requiring clubs to provide “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position.” The club has also been accused of failing to cooperate fully with the league’s four-year investigation.
Outgoing manager Pep Guardiola — who joined City in 2016 and is not alleged to have had any knowledge of wrongdoing — has consistently backed the club’s leadership. Speaking to BBC Sport last week, Guardiola said: “I trust them. I spoke with them and trust how they behave and how they did. What happened, happened.”
The alleged rule breaches first came to light in a series of articles published by German newspaper Der Spiegel in 2018, with European football’s governing body UEFA launching an investigation the following year.
It was initially reported that City were charged with 115 alleged rule breaches, but some outlets have since suggested that the actual number is 130.
The 12-week hearing took place in London in late 2024, with an outcome always expected to take several months to be published – but details on a specific date have been scarce.
If City are found guilty, the range of sanctions that could be imposed include a fine, a points deduction and even expulsion from the Premier League, although both the league and the club can appeal any judgement.
