Premier League chief says no timeline for Manchester City financial verdict as rivals grow frustrated
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has confirmed there is still no date for the decision on Manchester City’s 115 financial breaches, a delay that is intensifying frustration among rival clubs. The lack of a verdict comes more than 18 months after the independent commission concluded its hearing, despite expectations that a ruling would be published before the end of the 2025‑26 season.
City face a total of 115 alleged violations covering a nine‑year period from the 2009 takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group to 2018. The charges include 54 counts of providing inaccurate financial information, 14 instances of failing to disclose player and manager payments, five breaches of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, seven violations of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules, and 35 accusations of not cooperating with investigations between December 2018 and February 2023.
The club was first charged in February 2023, and a three‑person independent commission was appointed in September 2024 to examine the case. After a three‑month hearing, the commission was expected to deliver its findings promptly, yet the process has stretched far beyond the original timetable.
Speaking to the BBC, Masters said, “I do accept it’s taking longer than expected, and I understand that people want to find out as soon as possible what’s going on, but I simply can’t provide that. Our rules are very clear – we have to follow the process, and there’s only one real clear route through, which is to allow that process to reach its natural conclusion.”
Sources at several clubs told that the prolonged silence has left them “frustrated” by the independent commission’s failure to deliver a verdict. Some senior City staff were reportedly warned in March 2025 that they might have to cancel holidays in anticipation of a pending decision, yet no clarity has emerged.
The uncertainty looms over City’s start to the 2026‑27 Premier League campaign, which begins on Sunday against Bournemouth. The match will also mark the first league fixture under new manager Enzo Maresca, who succeeded Pep Guardiola this summer. City have consistently denied any wrongdoing and maintain that they have acted within the rules.
Maresca, when asked about the ongoing saga, remarked, “Three years ago, during the treble season, the same words were being said. In three years, it’s still the same, so nothing happened. I don’t have anything to say because it’s something that is there. The organisation is showing how serious they are, bringing titles and more.”
The drawn‑out process leaves the Premier League without a definitive stance on one of its biggest clubs, raising questions about potential sanctions, the integrity of the competition, and the impact on fans and sponsors as the new season unfolds.