Premier League finds Manchester City guilty of financial breaches exceeding £900 million

Commission verdict and financial breaches

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of serious financial breaches covering nine seasons between the 2009–10 and 2017–18 campaigns. The Premier League announced the decision on 29 September 2026 following an inquiry into more than 100 charges, including 114 alleged infractions. The findings established that the club used sham commercial contracts to inflate revenues and understate operational costs by more than £900 million ($1.19 billion) to mask funding from its Abu Dhabi ownership. The commission also found the club guilty on three of four charges related to failing to co-operate with the investigation. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters addressed the findings in a formal statement.

The core decision... details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade. There are elements of the case that remain to be decided, including, importantly, what sanction must follow for these breaches.

Appeal process and potential penalties

Manchester City denied wrongdoing and stated that the commission opinion contains clear material errors of law, principle, and fact. The club faces a deadline of Friday, 2 October 2026, to file an appeal, which will be considered by a newly constituted three-person commission before any penalties are imposed. Under precedent from earlier Premier League financial cases involving Everton and Nottingham Forest, appeals are heard and resolved before final sanctions are announced. Potential consequences include substantial points deductions or expulsion from the Premier League. Manchester City cannot take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, leaving an impartiality challenge at the High Court as its only external legal option.

Guardiola backs the club

Former manager Pep Guardiola, who left Manchester City in May 2026 after ten seasons in charge, published a public statement on Wednesday supporting the club. During his managerial period from 2016 to 2026, Manchester City won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the 2023 Champions League. Guardiola posted photographs alongside chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and stated that he stands with the club, its ownership, staff, and fans.

I want every single Man City fan to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together.

Reactions across English football

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, who played for the club from 2005 to 2015, expressed distress on the podcast The Rest is Football, noting that he felt saddened, angry, and disoriented while pointing out that the club has its own side of the story. Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane criticized the club on ITV, arguing that players should discard their medals. In Manchester, residents near the central railway station expressed surprise at the findings, with some supporting relegation while expecting that the case may conclude with financial fines instead.