Man City charges verdict – live: Bombshell decision set to be announced over Premier League charges

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has already claimed a seventh Premier League winners’ medal following today’s reports of the Manchester City verdict.

City beat United to the title on goal difference in 2012, when Ferdinand was still part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, which falls inside the nine-year period where City have been found of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.

A Manchester City spokesperson insists the Premier League’s process over the alleged 115 charges “remains ongoing” after a bombshell report stated the club have been “found guilty on almost all of the charges.”

Having been initially charged in February 2023, The Athletic reported on Friday afternoon that City have been found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules in 114 of the 115 cases.

The report added that sanctions have not yet been decided, while former champions City are expected to appeal the landmark verdict.

Reacting to the reports on Friday, a Manchester City spokesperson said: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.

“As such, Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

The short answer is yes, but there are a wide range of punishments available to the top-flight’s authorities. Sanctions could include fines and/or points deductions, and even expulsion as a member of the Premier League, which would require City to rebuild from the lower leagues.

Rule W.51 of the Premier League is the relevant section of its regulations, and it states that options for sanctioning a club found guilty of breaches include the powers to:

• “Suspend it from playing in League Matches”
• “Deduct points scored or to be scored in League Matches”
• “Recommend that the League expels the Respondent from membership”
• “Order the Respondent to pay compensation unlimited in amount to any Person or to any Club”

The rules state that any combination of punishments could be applied, and that penalties could be conditional or contingent on a “defined action” being taken.

Now, the club will have the chance to appeal against the decision of one of the most significant court cases in the history of sport.

Regardless of the judgement, both sides – the Premier League and Manchester City – knew they would have the chance to appeal within 14 days of the ruling.

Such an appeal would trigger a fresh three-person commission to look into the case, the members of which will be selected by Murray Rosen KC, the chair of the Premier League’s judicial panel.

This would lead to a further delay of the imposition of any sanctions or points deductions until the appeal process is complete.

A Manchester City spokesperson said: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

Manchester City are reportedly set to be found guilty on more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules after a long-awaited verdict was reached.

After a four-year investigation, the eight-time Premier League champions were referred to an independent commission in early 2023 regarding a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.

Almost two years on from a 12-week hearing, a decision has been reached in one of the most significant court cases in sporting history – though Manchester City may yet appeal.

While any possible sanctions for the club, which has denied all charges, are still to be confirmed, the verdict could well prove a seminal moment within English football around a club that has risen into a Premier League powerhouse across the two decades.

Here is the full timeline of everything that led to this moment:

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca posted “time to breathe, time to analyse, time to learn” on his Instagram account, just shortly before The Athletic reported that City had been found guilty of almost all of the Premier League’s charges.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who took over from Pep Guardiola in the summer, said before the start of the season that he had “no concerns” over the Premier League charges.

Maresca was previously Guardiola’s assistant and was at the club in February 2023 when they were charged by the Premier League with breaking their financial rules.

“The only thing I can say is three years ago, the treble season, I was here, and it was the same words about this,” Maresca said in July.

“In three years, it’s still the same. Nothing has happened. I don’t have any concerns, personally.”

Maresca has won his first five games of the Premier League season after signing a three-year contract.

Manchester City insist the process “remains ongoing”.

The Premier League have not yet announced sanctions, but City are expected to appeal the long-awaited verdict after they were found “guilty on almost all of the charges”.

Possible sanctions include fines, points deductions, and even expulsion from the Premier League.

Those sanctions could be applied now, or retrospectively. That could mean City are stripped of titles and trophies.

City insisted in February 2023 that they were “surprised” by the charges and said there was evidence to prove their innocence.

The landmark ruling follows one of the most significant court cases in the history of sport. City were charged with over 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules in February 2023 following a four-year investigation.

The Premier League said the alleged breaches took place between 2009 and 2018, and related to providing accurate financial information and failing to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Other charges included an accusation of failing to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation, which was prompted by the Football Leaks revelations.

City have been England’s most successful team since the club’s fortunes were transformed by Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in 2008. The club won the Premier League three times between 2009 and 2018, a period in which the club also won one FA Cup and three League Cups.

Under former manager Pep Guardiola, City won the Premier League in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, including an unprecedented run of four in a row. In 2023, the club also won the Champions League for the first time, completing a historic ‘Treble’ of major prizes.

From canvassing views around football, there is amazement – and some relief – that the level of guilt is so strong.

There are still a lot of uncertainties, not least about the sanctions and the response but this is a seismic day in English football history.