London (AFP) - Manchester City confirmed on Friday that it had filed an appeal against a harsh ruling that found the club guilty of all charges related to serious violations of the financial rules of the English Premier League.

Published on: 02/10/2026 - 12:44 Last updated: 02/10/2026 - 17:26

The League announced on Tuesday that an independent committee found the Abu Dhabi-backed club guilty of more than 100 charges.

The potential punishment is still unclear, but City, currently the leader of the richest local league in the world, may face a large deduction of points, a fine, or even expulsion from the top flight.

The club, owned by an Emirati fund, said in a statement, “The club is innocent of the accusations brought against it by the English Premier League, and there is a complete set of compelling evidence that supports its position in this case,” explaining that the appeal was submitted on Thursday evening.

He added, "The club's firm position is that the opinion contains, in many aspects, clear fundamental errors in the law, principles and facts, and cannot be relied upon."

He continued, "The club is innocent of the accusations brought against it by the English Premier League, and there is a comprehensive set of conclusive evidence that supports all of its positions related to this issue."

The League issued an update in which it confirmed that “the session of the Independent Appeals Body will remain private and confidential until the result is allowed to be published.”

Earlier on Friday, the local football federation broke its silence on the issue on Friday, saying that the committee’s decision “has major repercussions on the integrity of the game.”

He added, "We are carefully studying the decision and its repercussions and will take appropriate measures where necessary."

He continued, "Given that the proceedings between the English Premier League and Manchester City Football Club are still ongoing, we do not intend to make further comments at this stage. But we will continue to follow developments closely."

Care contracts

The independent committee concluded that City concluded “sham” deals to artificially inflate its revenues and reduce its costs by more than 900 million pounds ($1.2 billion) between 2009 and 2018, a period during which it won three titles in the English Premier League and other tournaments.

The committee found that the club concealed the true state of its financial situation, saying that City had "significantly breached the spending limits of both the League and the European Football Association (UEFA)".

It has been widely reported that City will argue in its appeal that a number of major sponsorship contracts were funded by the Abu Dhabi government, and not by the club's owners.

League rules do not prohibit state-owned bodies from sponsoring clubs.

The committee concluded that City arranged “sham commercial deals” with a number of its sponsors as part of what it described as a “disguised financing scheme.”

She added that these companies were only required to pay part of the sponsorship fees in question, while the remaining part was financed by the club’s owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group.

The private investment company Abu Dhabi United, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, bought Manchester City in 2008, transforming the club from an ordinary team into a dominant force.

Sheikh Mansour also holds the position of Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Office.

The British Prime Minister said Thursday that the giant club is “not above the rules,” after criticism directed at British Prime Minister Andy Burnham over the issue.

“As the Prime Minister has made clear, the initial ruling is serious and there can be no suggestion that anyone is above the rules,” a spokesman said.

Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, told the BBC on Wednesday that he did not want to see the club's Emirati owners withdraw as a result of this case.

“I would be very concerned if we lost them,” he said, highlighting the investments made in Manchester by Abu Dhabi United Group, which owns the club’s controlling stake.

For his part, the German coach of the England national team, Thomas Tuchel, whose team includes City players Mark Guehi and Elliot Anderson, said that the issue was the focus of conversations within the camp as the team prepared to face Croatia on Saturday in the third round of the European Nations League competition.

He added, "Of course the players talk about it, City players talk about it, and we talk to them as well, but only briefly."

He continued, "They are ready for tomorrow's match, and this is what they show on the field and in the camp, but of course it is a big issue."

Oasis star and City fan Liam Gallagher published an angry blog post on the X platform on Friday, in which he defended his club.

He said, "All this hatred directed at City from other clubs should be directed at Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool," adding, "They are the corrupt ones who are trying to prevent other teams from winning titles, not Man City."

Everton and Nottingham Forest were subject to points deductions in the 2023-2024 season due to one violation of financial sustainability rules.

Based on this, City may face relegation given the huge size of the case, and there is also speculation about the possibility of being stripped of its titles.

Etihad Airways, City's main sponsor, said it was considering taking legal action against the English Premier League.

A spokesman for Etihad Airways, the sponsor whose name appears on the team's shirt and whose name is named at the club's stadium in Manchester, said in a statement received by Agence France-Presse that the company "categorically rejects any allegation, inference or suggestion that the airline was at any time involved in improper commercial arrangements."

The Abu Dhabi-based airline expressed its regret that it was not consulted during the proceedings regarding the information on which it was based “to reach conclusions that may now be construed as damaging to the airline.”

Another factor is the potential influx of compensation claims. Former Liverpool managing director Christian Porcello told the BBC that clubs "will be lining up to demand compensation".

City has become the dominant force in the English Premier League since Sheikh Mansour, Vice President of the UAE and Deputy Prime Minister, took over the club in 2008.

The team will play its next match against Liverpool at Anfield on October 11, where it will face the club that has been its closest competitor for most of the past decade.

© 2026 AFP

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