Manchester City Football Club has been found guilty of breaching the majority of charges brought against it by the Premier League following an extensive investigation into alleged financial irregularities. The club and its owner face accusations of systematically circumventing financial fair play rules over nearly a decade.
The Premier League’s independent commission, after reviewing more than 7,000 pages of witness testimony and expert evidence over a 42-day hearing concluding in December 2024, concluded that Manchester City engaged in a “Disguised Funding Scheme” designed to conceal the true source of club funding and misrepresent its financial position. The commission found that the club entered into “sham” commercial agreements, including the “Fordham Arrangement,” involving front companies and undisclosed consultancy deals funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), the club’s ownership group.
These arrangements reportedly allowed the club to mask millions in expenses and artificially inflate operating income by more than £900 million during the relevant period. As a result, Manchester City filed misstated accounts and concealed the actual state of its finances from auditors and football authorities. The commission described the club’s conduct as a deliberate effort to break Premier League rules and noted that the club also made “concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the investigation,” failing to cooperate fully on multiple occasions.
Manchester City has vigorously disputed the allegations. Club representatives claim the case rests on a sole false accusation that the owner’s personal funds were secretly funneled through Abu Dhabi-based sponsors. They maintain that extensive evidence, including bank statements and witness testimony, supports their position and categorically disproves this claim. The club has announced plans to appeal, citing material errors in the commission’s findings.
The Premier League rejected City’s defence, stating that the primary explanation offered was fabricated after the fact to obscure the true nature of funding arrangements. Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, described the ruling as “the most significant in Premier League history,” confirming that while the facts have been established, sanctions are still to be determined. The league emphasized its commitment to swiftly completing the disciplinary process to ensure clarity for all parties involved.
Manchester City has until this Friday to file an appeal against the ruling, which will be considered by a separate panel. The full decision document, accompanied by thousands of pages of appendices, will be published in due course.
The timing of the verdict has drawn attention across the football community, especially following City’s substantial spending in the recent summer transfer window. The club reiterated its disappointment with the ruling and asserted its ongoing commitment to pursuing all legal and regulatory avenues to clear its name. The Premier League’s statement and the club’s response highlight the contentious nature of the case, which has unfolded over almost eight years.