Manchester City appeal: material errors challenged in 115-charge verdict

Dustin Judge
Man City Pep Guardiola, Manchester City

Manchester City will appeal its guilty verdict on 115 financial charges, claiming the independent commission made material errors in law, principle and fact, according to the club’s statement. The verdict found City systematically broke Premier League spending rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. City has until Friday, Oct. 2, to file the appeal.

Manchester City’s appeal case

City said the independent commission’s opinion “is unsafe,” meaning the club believes the legal reasoning cannot stand. The club maintains it 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.”

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and CEO Ferran Soriano stated the club will be “relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums” to clear its name. The club has rejected the verdict from its announcement.

City was found guilty on all 115 charges, which included systematic breaches of spending limits, sham contracts, misstated accounts and efforts to disguise revenue over a nine-year period. The commission also found City failed to cooperate with the Premier League investigation.

How the process works

City must email the chair of the original three-person commission, who will then appoint a new appeal board consisting of three people. One member must have held judicial office. The appeal board’s decision will be final; Unlike City’s 2020 UEFA case, in which the Court of Arbitration for Sport lifted the European ban on appeal, City cannot escalate to CAS in this matter.

Separate from this, the independent commission will hold a confidential hearing to determine sanctions, which could include fines, points deductions or expulsion. The Premier League has not specified whether sanctions can be imposed before the appeal concludes, only that it intends the full process to be resolved “as soon as possible.”

Everton received 10 points in 2023 for overspending in a single three-year period, the largest deduction in Premier League history; that was reduced to six on appeal. City’s breaches span nearly a decade and included a refusal to cooperate with the investigation, distinguishing the case from Everton’s.

External oversight and compensation risk

The Independent Football Regulator, a British government body established last year to set governance standards in English soccer, is monitoring the case. IFR Chair David Kogan said the regulator was “awaiting further developments” in the proceedings.

Multiple Premier League clubs have sought legal advice on whether they could pursue financial compensation based on the impact of City’s rule-breaking, according to the BBC, though no club has publicly announced an intention to do so. City could face claims from rivals affected by the period of alleged breaches.

What’s next

City must file by Friday, Oct. 2. Once filed, the appeal board will review City’s arguments that the original commission made material errors. The timeline for the appeal decision is unclear. Separately, the independent commission will hold its confidential hearing on sanctions; the Premier League has not disclosed when that will occur.

Related: Manchester City sanctions loom | Man City faces compensation claims from rival clubs

Reporting from FOX Sports, Yahoo Sports, ESPN and CBS Sports contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.