British Prime Minister Andy Burnham held meetings with Manchester City Football Club’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak during his tenure as mayor of Greater Manchester, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) confirmed on October 12. These disclosures follow criticism of Burnham’s initial response to the English Premier League’s ruling against Manchester City for serious financial breaches.

The GMCA statement clarified that Burnham met Khaldoon Al Mubarak formally at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit in 2021, an event organised by the Department for International Trade. It also noted an informal encounter at a testimonial match in 2019, as well as City staff supporting Burnham’s business delegation trips to China and Japan. Burnham served as the mayor of Greater Manchester from May 2017 until June 2026.

The meetings became a focal point after Burnham expressed concern over the potential sale of Manchester City following the Premier League’s ruling that found the club guilty of significant financial misconduct. In a BBC interview, he described the club’s owners as “a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester” and credited them for helping transform Manchester City into a “global force.” However, his spokesperson later emphasized that the club should face appropriate consequences if wrongdoing was proven.

Burnham’s remarks attracted sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the Liberal Democrats, who argued that his comments seemed to defend the club’s actions. This led to public calls for greater transparency regarding his interactions with club officials.

Conservative opposition sport spokesman Louie French criticized the GMCA’s response for providing minimal detail about the substance of the meetings. He called the statement “precious little information” and said it was insufficient to meet the transparency expectations of football supporters. French urged Burnham to take personal responsibility rather than deflecting to the GMCA.

The revelations come amid broader scrutiny of Manchester City following the Premier League’s disciplinary ruling, intensifying political and public debate over the relationship between football clubs and local government officials.