Premier League giant Manchester City have lodged their appeal against an independent Commission finding them guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules and claimed innocence after being charged with more than 100 alleged breaches in February 2023.
In their appeal, which was lodged on Thursday night and announced on Friday, the club maintained its position that it is innocent.
“Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at 7pm on Thursday 1st October 2026 the club lodged its comprehensive appeal against the opinion of the Premier League Commission, in relation to the Premier League disciplinary matter.
“The club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe.
“The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case.
“We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete.”
The same Friday, the Premier League confirmed City’s appeal had been lodged with the Chair of the Judicial Panel, adding that the independent Appeal Board hearing will remain private and confidential until publication of the outcome is permitted.
Between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, an independent Commission found that Manchester City arranged “sham” contracts with a number of its commercial partners as part of a “disguised funding scheme” to artificially inflate the club’s revenues by £830m.
According to Sky Sports, the appeal process is expected to take around 12 weeks to be completed, with a judgment expected within 30 days after the appeal process. The appeal will be heard by a new three-person panel.
However, City could try to take the matter to the High Court, which could potentially make the process run for years.
What Is Manchester City Accused Of by the Independent Commission?
Fake sponsorship deals. The club is accused of setting up “sham” contracts with a number of its commercial partners as part of a “disguised funding scheme” to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs.
Misleading accounts. City submitted financial accounts that concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators.
Breaking spending rules. The club was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits and broke “well over 100” Premier League regulations.
Not cooperating. City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the league during the investigation, with three of the four alleged breaches upheld.
