Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has acknowledged rising impatience over the delayed verdict regarding Manchester City’s alleged rule breaches, admitting the process has taken longer than anticipated.
The club remains under scrutiny while awaiting the outcome of 115 charges concerning financial regulations. After being charged in February 2023, City have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
“Our rules are very clear about that – I have to keep everything confidential until we’re ready to hand down a decision and be clear about it,” Masters told Sky News. “I can’t give any update on timing or what’s happening.
“There’s only one available route through this, which is to allow the process to take its course.
“It has taken longer than expected, and I do understand the frustrations.”
The ongoing saga comes as City start a new chapter under former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola’s exit. Guardiola stepped down at the end of last season after a decade featuring six Premier League titles, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
City launch their Premier League season at home to Bournemouth on Sunday.
Masters also gave his thoughts on the current Fifa crisis in a separate interview with BBC Sport.
“This is a problem of Fifa’s making,” Masters said. This is a self-inflicted wound. The organisation has pressed the self-destruct button, and the consequences of that flow now into the solutions that need to be found.
“I don’t think Fifa should be ever contemplating selling off a stake in the World Cup.
“They’re a not-for-profit organisation. They should really be holding that competition in trust for the future of football. I think it’s a bad idea, and the FA have taken the right position regards to Gianni [Infantino].”
Speaking on a prospective rival to Infantino’s re-election next year, Masters added: “I think an emerging unity candidate should have on his or her agenda reform of Fifa, and perhaps even reform of the president’s role and how it interacts with those things.”
Masters’ comments came just hours after it was confirmed that Fifa’s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour had left the organisation just two weeks after criticising Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan.
