Premier League says Manchester City broke rules for nine seasons

The Premier League announced on the 29th that its independent committee found Manchester City guilty of the 115 financial‑rule breaches covering 2009‑2018 and of most cooperation‑breach accusations. Manchester City denied the claims, though hearings ran September‑December 2024 and no ruling came until now.

Recent reports said all but one of the 115 allegations were deemed breaches. The committee said the club inflated revenue and cut costs via sham contracts with multiple partners, with Abu Dhabi United Group covering the shortfall.

It also found inaccurate statements that hid the true situation from auditors and regulators, breaching Premier League and UEFA spending limits. During the probe the club failed to cooperate in good faith, with three of four alleged breaches upheld. The scheme let Manchester City cut costs by over £900 million, meaning accounts would have shown it exceeding caps, and Premier League executive Richard Masters said the ruling confirms a decade of rule‑breaking, with club able to appeal by 2 October, a Friday.