Manchester City will soon learn the outcome of their hearing into 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rule
Manchester City will soon learn the outcome of their hearing into 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rule
Newcastle United are among a number of Premier League clubs waiting to learn the outcome of Manchester City's hearing into the alleged 115 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.
The hearing was held in London at the end of last year and began on September 12. It lasted 12 weeks in total and concluded before Christmas on December 6.
City were first charged by the Premier League for allegedly breaching more than 100 of its financial rules back in 2023, covering the period between 2009 and 2018. Among the 115 charges is allegedly failing to provide accurate financial information for nine seasons, failing to provide full details of players' wages for six seasons and failure to co-operate with the four-year investigation, all of which City firmly deny.
Pep Guardiola indicated to the media in February that he expects a decision in 'a month', while the decision of the independent commission was always anticipated in the spring of this year. Speculation over potential punishment, if City are found guilty, includes points deductions and, in the most extreme circumstances, even expulsion from the top flight.
Both City and the Premier League have a right to appeal, depending on the outcome, which could delay a resolution by a further several months. City's former financial adviser, Stefan Borson, recently claimed the case could drag on until the end of this season if the club are found guilty of the charges.
He told Football Insider: “I think there’s been some sort of debate about whether you would have a split appeal process or whether effectively the parties will be told to wait until the full judgment and then to appeal the liability and the sanction together. I think it’ll be the latter.
"Otherwise, you could have the complexity where the liability hearing is being appealed while waiting for the sanction hearing, so that would seem to be a bit confusing. I think the appeal will probably have to wait until we’ve got the full verdict.
"If it’s a two-week sanctions set of submissions and a separate hearing, then you have got to then wait for the decision to come out on that. That itself could be a month, six weeks or maybe more. The Everton and the Nottingham Forest cases were effectively sanction hearings because liability had been admitted.
“We saw those took around six weeks, maybe longer from the actual panel to the decision, so this is going to drag on. Now it looks like it’s going to drag on until the end of the season. In some ways, that could suit everybody involved. It’s only going to drag on to the end of the season if City are found liable for anything. If they’re clear, then the question will be what will the Premier League want to do about an appeal?
“But if City are found liable for anything, this could drag on until the end of the season. In some ways, that’s positive in that it allows people to deal with it in the closed season to an extent. But if the sanction is very serious, then you’ve got the issue of what happens with relegation or which season do you take the points from and all of that sort of stuff."
Below is a full list of the charges City are alleged to have breached, all of which they strongly deny.
1. In respect of each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those seasons that required provision by a member club to the Premier League, in the utmost good faith, of accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs, namely:(a) for Season 2009/10, Premier League Rules B.13, C.71, C.72, C.75 (amended to C.79 from 10 September 2009 for the remainder of Season 2009/10) and C.80;(b) for Season 2010/11, Premier League Rules B.13, C.78, C.79, C.86 and C.87;(c) for Season 2011/12, Premier League Rules B.13, E.3, 4, E.11 and E.12;(d) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11 and E.12;(e) for Season 2013/14, Premier League Rules 15, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.49;(f) for Season 2014/15, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.50;(g) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.50;(h) for Season 2016/17, Premier League Rules16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.51; and(i) for Season 2017/18, Premier League Rules B.16, 3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.51.
2. In respect of:(a) each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2012/13 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager, namely:(1) for Seasons 2009/10 to 2011/12 inclusive, Premier League Rules Q.7 and Q.8; and(2) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules P.7 and P.8; and(b) each of Seasons 2010/11 to 2015/16 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of player remuneration in its relevant contracts with its players, namely:(1) for Seasons 2010/11 and 2011/12, Premier League Rules K.12 and K.20;(2) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules T.12 and T.20;(3) for Seasons 2013/14 and 2014/15, Premier League Rules T.12 and T.19; and(4) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules T.13 and T.20.
3. In respect of each of Seasons 2013/14 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, namely:(a) for Season 2013/14, Premier League Rule B.14.6; and(b) for Seasons 2014/15 to 2017/18 inclusive, Premier League Rule B.15.6.
4. In respect of each of the Seasons 2015/16 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons on Profitability and Sustainability, namely:(a) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules E.52 to E.60; and(b) for Seasons 2016/17 and 2017/18, Premier League Rules E.53 to E.60.