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Independent commission finds Man City guilty of 114 charges

By Drooid · Oct 8, 2026, 2:23 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Manchester City Found Guilty

Independent commission found Manchester City guilty of 114 of 115 financial breach charges covering 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons.
The commission said 87% of reported commercial income was fictitious, sourced from illicit payments by Abu Dhabi United Group.
Manchester City lodged an appeal on October 1 2026, with a hearing required to finish by December 24 2026.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham downplayed the verdict, prompting criticism and a No 10 clarification of his wording.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanded publication of all meetings between Burnham and senior Manchester City figures.

Summary

FA Issues Licences

The Football Association issues UEFA licences for Champions League participation and delegates the process to the Premier League.
Refusal grounds include overdue payables, tax liabilities, match-fixing convictions, or multi-club ownership conflicts.
A source said Manchester City does not meet any refusal criteria, so a licence denial is unclear.
If an appeal fails, sanctions could include heavy points deductions, a large fine, transfer embargoes, or Premier League expulsion.

History

Historical Context

UEFA introduced Financial Fair Play in 2009, applying its break-even rules from the 2011-12 season; PSG’s €60 million fine in 2014 marked the first major sanction. After years of investigations, the Premier League’s independent commission found Manchester City guilty of 115 financial breaches on 28 September 2026, alleging £900 million of disguised sponsorship income. The verdict revives the FFP enforcement legacy.

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Manchester City Found Guilty

Independent commission found Manchester City guilty of 114 of 115 financial breach charges covering 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons.
The commission said 87% of reported commercial income was fictitious, sourced from illicit payments by Abu Dhabi United Group.
Manchester City lodged an appeal on October 1 2026, with a hearing required to finish by December 24 2026.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham downplayed the verdict, prompting criticism and a No 10 clarification of his wording.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanded publication of all meetings between Burnham and senior Manchester City figures.

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