Premier League reveals Manchester City hid billions in costs

On the Premier League website, a shocking announcement appeared on Tuesday: Manchester City is alleged to have breached the competition’s financial rules for nine years, with more than one billion euros in costs being concealed.

Found violations

The independent committee has determined that the club has been found guilty of as many as 114 financial violations. In addition, 115 charges were confirmed, relating to the period 2009‑10 to 2017‑18. These figures constitute a record in the history of the Premier League.

Financial manipulation

According to the committee, Manchester City entered into fake contracts with commercial partners, reducing the costs on paper and artificially inflating the revenues. The amount the club concealed is reported to be between £900million and 1.05 billion euros. This manipulation allowed the club to spend far more than the limits permitted by the Premier League and UEFA.

Investigation and committee

The investigation began in December 2018 and a formal complaint was filed in February 2023. The committee has examined more than 7,000 pages of transcripts and documents, which explains the 20‑month delay. The investigation was concluded after a 42‑day hearing.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters called the ruling “the most significant in the history of the Premier League”. He emphasized that the decision shows how the club systematically circumvented the rules for almost a decade.

Manchester City responded with an official statement in which the club described itself as “disappointed and surprised”. The club’s website states that the accusations are “being set aside” and that there is “a substantial amount of irrefutable evidence” supporting its innocence.

The club has until Friday 3 October to appeal the charges. The statement indicates that the club will act “relentlessly and proactively” in all relevant legal and regulatory proceedings.

The Premier League has not yet imposed any sanctions; the matter will be addressed in a later hearing. The board stresses that it is essential to safeguard the integrity of the competition and that clarity must be provided quickly for all clubs and supporters.

Both the committee and the Premier League consider this case the biggest disciplinary decision ever, with potentially far‑reaching consequences for the financial governance of the English top‑flight.