Manchester City could owe rivals over £527 million in prize money

Manchester City have been found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial rules and a study suggests the club could owe its domestic rivals more than £527 million in lost Premier League prize money, with 38 clubs potentially entitled to compensation.

Rob Cairnduff’s football journalism journey

Action Images via Reuters/ Jason Cairnduff shows senior football editor Rob Cairnduff at GiveMeSport, where he has spent over 15 years covering sport. He graduated from the University of Gloucestershire in 2008 with a journalism degree and turned a childhood obsession for football into a professional career.

His early work produced content for clients such as Luton Town Football Club and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). In 2009 he secured his first major interviews with Premier League referees Howard Webb and Michael Oliver, establishing his reputation in football reporting.

City’s breach and possible sanctions

Manchester City face an uncertain future after an independent commission declared them guilty on all but one of their 115 charges following a four‑year investigation. The Premier League has hinted at huge fines, points deductions, relegation or even expulsion, although there is little appetite to strip past titles.

Premier League clubs are already seeking legal advice on compensation, reflecting the seriousness of the situation and the potential financial impact on the league’s ecosystem.

Clubs that could claim prize money

A study by data specialists OLGB, reported by The Sun, calculated that City could owe more than £527 million based on data from the 2011‑12 season up to last season. The figures assume each club would have moved up one league position each year with City removed, increasing their prize‑money receipts.

Three clubs that have spent only a season or two in the Premier League since 2011 – Reading (£755 k), Wigan Athletic (£1.5 m) and Luton Town (£3.1 m) – are now in League One, meaning the owed sums could provide a significant boost.

Mid‑table clubs such as Leeds United, Watford and West Brom could each be owed up to £10 million, while Swansea City and Stoke City stand at £9.1 million each, Norwich City at £7.4 million and Sheffield United at £6.6 million.

Higher‑profile sides that have spent many seasons at the top include Wolves, Southampton, Arsenal and Bournemouth, each potentially owed in excess of £20 million. Burnley and Fulham are each owed £19.2 million and Leicester City £17.9 million, despite the latter’s 2016 title win and subsequent drop to League One.

At the top of the list, local rivals Manchester United are second with £28.1 million owed, while Everton lead with £28.9 million. The total illustrates the scale of the financial repercussions should City’s appeal fail.