Manchester City Found Guilty of All Premier League Financial Charges, Faces Appeal Deadline

Manchester City has been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules over a nine-season period (2009/10-2017/18), manipulating accounts with over £900 million in 'sham' contracts. The club also obstructed the investigation and now faces severe sanctions, potentially including expulsion.

Manchester City logo outside Etihad Stadium (Photo X@futtmais) Manchester City faces a monumental challenge to its legacy after an independent commission today, Tuesday, September 29, 2026, found the club guilty of all charges related to breaching Premier League financial rules. The verdict concludes a protracted investigation into alleged financial irregularities spanning nine seasons, from 2009/10 to 2017/18.

Manchester City Found Guilty: What Premier League FFP Charges Mean and What Happens Next To PL Club?. The Premier League confirmed the bombshell decision, detailing how Manchester City engaged in a sophisticated scheme of "sham contracts" with commercial partners and for image rights, designed to artificially inflate revenues and significantly reduce operating costs.

These illicit arrangements, which included deals with former manager Roberto Mancini, are estimated to have boosted the club's income and reduced expenses by more than £900 million. The commission also found the club guilty of the majority of charges concerning its failure to cooperate with the Premier League's four-year investigation.

Club's Response and Impending Appeal In the wake of the damning verdict, Manchester City promptly released a statement expressing disappointment and surprise, steadfastly maintaining its innocence. Club CEO Ferran Soriano, in an internal video to employees, controversially labelled the decision a 'Premier League conspiracy theory.

' Manchester City now has a critical window to respond, with the deadline for an appeal set for Friday, October 2, 2026. The club has asserted it will appeal 'on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.

' Nine Seasons of Deceit and Obfuscation The independent commission's findings paint a picture of deliberate efforts to circumvent financial regulations. The "sham contracts" were used to conceal the true state of Manchester City's finances from auditors and football regulators, creating the false impression of compliance with both Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules and UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations.

Had the club's finances been accurately reported, it would have been in breach of spending limits "by a very substantial amount." The investigation itself, initiated in March 2019 following allegations. The commission concluded that City "made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation.

While the guilty verdict has been delivered, the question of sanctions remains."