Manchester City and their Premier League rivals have been waiting for a verdict on the 115 financial charges Pep Guardiola's side face and now a reason for the long delay has been given
Daniel Orme Football Writer and Neil Docking
12:01, 14 Nov 2025
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Khalifa al-Mubarak, owner and vice-president of the UAE, Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and manager Pep Guardiola celebrate winning four Premier League titles in a row
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Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Khalifa al-Mubarak, owner and vice-president of the UAE, Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and manager Pep Guardiola celebrate winning four Premier League titles in a row(Image: UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT/AFP via G)
The decision on Manchester City's 115 financial charges has reportedly been postponed amid a debate over the future of Premier League chairwoman Alison Brittain.
The seven-time Premier League champions have been entangled in a protracted legal dispute since first being charged with allegedly breaching financial rules over an extended period in February 2023 - 33 months ago. Pep Guardiola's side and their Abu Dhabi United Group owners have always denied any wrongdoing.
Despite numerous indications that a verdict was imminent, several key factors have caused delays in the process. One is said to be the uncertainty surrounding the future of competition chairwoman Alison Brittain.
According to The Independent, several high-ranking figures at the Premier League have been gathering views from club executives on whether Brittain should be granted another three-year term.
These opinions are reportedly being influenced by the progress of the case against City, with Brittain believed to wield significant influence. It is suggested that the discussion about support for the current chairwoman has 'intensified'.
Alison Brittain is the chairwoman of the Premier League
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Alison Brittain is the chairwoman of the Premier League(Image: Whitbread/PA)
It is reported that the outcome of the City case could sway club opinions, with some senior officials stating it would be 'absurd' to form such a crucial opinion before the case is resolved, reports the Mirror.
There have also been suggestions that some clubs would vote against an extended term if the case against City does not result in success for the Premier League.
Premier League powerbrokers are also troubled by a lack of transparency regarding the process, with many feeling as though they have been kept in the dark.
When asked for an update earlier this year, Premier League CEO, Richard Masters, said: "I can't answer that specific question. What I can tell you about is the system and how it works.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters spoke about the process earlier this year
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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters spoke about the process earlier this year(Image: Getty Images)
"I mean, it's an independent judiciary, essentially. So once the allegations, the charge has been put forward, they go before an independent panel, which is independently selected, and they are then in charge of the process and its timings.
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"They hear the case, they decide the outcome, and we have no influence over that, over it or its timing. And that's right, if you think from an independence point of view, that there is independent people making those decisions, and we just have to be waiting.
"My frustration is irrelevant, really. I mean, I just have to wait, and legal processes rarely take less time than you anticipated, but we have to be patient."