Manchester City will finally face a hearing regarding the alleged breaches of financial rules by the Premier League. According to sports outlet ESPN, the hearing is scheduled to begin on September 16th. The club faces a staggering 115 charges of financial misconduct.
The charges, first raised in February 2023, relate to violations dating back to the 2009-10 season, where the club allegedly provided inaccurate financial information. Furthermore, between the 2013-14 and 2017-18 seasons, Manchester City is accused of failing to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. The club is also alleged to have breached the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules during the 2015-16 to 2017-18 seasons.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told TalkSport that financial penalties alone would not suffice in this case. “If 115 charges are proven, it would be a serious breach. A points deduction between 60 and 100 could be likely, which might even result in the club being relegated from the league,” Maguire stated.
Despite the severity of the allegations, Manchester City has consistently denied any wrongdoing and welcomed the opportunity for an independent review by the commission.
This isn’t the first time the club has faced sanctions from European football’s governing body, UEFA. In 2014, Manchester City was fined £49 million for breaching financial regulations. More notably, in 2020, they were banned from UEFA competitions for two years and fined £30 million for inflating the value of sponsorship deals between 2012 and 2016. However, the ban was later overturned following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The current hearing is expected to last for two months, with the final verdict likely to be announced at the end of the current season. If found guilty, Manchester City could face severe consequences, including potential points deductions or even relegation. However, the club is expected to appeal any decision, which could prolong the process until 2025.