Manchester City Rejects EPL Commission’s findings On Club’s 115 Financial Charges
Manchester City on their official website on September 29, 2026, have released an official statement after an independent Premier League Commission reached its long-awaited decision on the club’s 115 financial charges.
The Premier League confirmed on Tuesday that Manchester City were found guilty of all charges relating to serious financial-rule breaches covering the nine-season period between 2009/10 and 2017/18. The independent Commission also found the club guilty of three of four alleged breaches relating to its failure to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation.
The verdict follows a lengthy investigation into allegations that Manchester City had breached Premier League financial regulations. According to the Commission’s findings, the club arranged what were described as “sham” contracts with a number of commercial partners, which the Premier League said misrepresented the true agreements and allowed City to artificially inflate revenue and reduce costs. The Commission also found issues concerning the club’s financial accounts and compliance with spending regulation.
However, Tuesday’s decision does not bring the entire case to an immediate conclusion. The Premier League has confirmed that sanctions will be dealt with separately at a further hearing before the independent Commission. Manchester City also has the right to appeal the findings, with the club’s deadline set for Friday, October 2.
Manchester City responded to the decision by strongly rejecting the Commission’s findings. In an official statement published by the club, City said it was “disappointed and surprised” by the opinion and insisted that it remains innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League.
The club also claimed that it possesses a comprehensive body of evidence supporting its position and confirmed that it intends to challenge the decision through the appropriate regulatory and legal processes. City said it would pursue the available appeal avenues because it believes the Commission’s opinion contains material errors relating to “law, principle and fact.”
Manchester City further pointed to the length of the case, saying it has diligently respected due process for eight years on the expectation that the Premier League Board and Executive would operate as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator. The club also said it was restricted from providing further details while the remaining proceedings are ongoing.
The ruling represents a major development in one of the longest-running financial cases involving a Premier League club. The original allegations cover nine seasons from 2009/10 to 2017/18, while the Premier League investigation was formally referred to an independent Commission in 2023. The Commission’s hearing began in September 2024 and concluded after 12 weeks.
City’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano, has also maintained the club’s position following the verdict and indicated that Manchester City intends to continue fighting the case. The club’s appeal will now become a central part of the next stage of the proceedings, while the separate process for determining any sanctions remains outstanding.
