Man City Hit With Massive Fine
Manchester City have just been hit with a six-figure penalty for being late. Yep, Pep Guardiola’s super team has admitted to nine occasions last season when they delayed kick-offs or second-half restarts, in breach of Premier League Rule L.33. By entering a “sanction agreement,” City have agreed to a total fine of approximately £1.08 million.
Why it matters (more than you’d think)
On the face of it, late to the pitch? Meh. But in today’s world, time is money. Here’s the Premier League’s no-nonsense explanation: “Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organisation of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs.
It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule.” Live TV needs precision, and fans need structure. Even a 90-second delay can ripple into logistics, programming gaps, and viewer frustration. And when infractions stack up, the fines rise as well, when it’s done nine times.
The Nine Breaches
City were late in nine Premier League matches from October to February. The delays ranged from just over one minute to 2 minutes and 24 seconds. Here’s a breakdown, drawn from official data :
- 26 Oct vs Southampton – ~2m10s
- 23 Nov vs Tottenham – ~1m38s
- 4 Dec vs Nottingham Forest – ~1m59s
- 7 Dec vs Crystal Palace – ~1m29s
- 15 Dec vs Manchester United – ~1m18s (kick‑off) & ~2m24s (restart)
- 21 Dec vs Aston Villa – ~2m09s
- 4 Jan vs West Ham – ~1m42s
- 19 Jan vs Ipswich Town – ~2m22s
- 15 Feb vs Newcastle – ~1m42s
They come with fines from £40,000 up to around £190,000, because of how repetitive the behaviour was all season.
City’s Response
City haven’t pushed back, they’ve taken it on the chin and apologised: “The Premier League and Manchester City FC have entered into a sanction agreement after the club accepted it had breached Premier League Rule L.33 in relation to kick-off and re-start obligations. The breaches occurred in nine Premier League matches during the 2024/25 season.”
The club also confirmed publicly: “accepted and apologized for the breaches,” and said staff and players have been “reminded of their responsibility to adhere to Rule L.33”. You may recall that between 2022 and 2024, City racked up 22 similar offences and were fined more than £2 million. But this time, nine instances in a single season still show persistence in something that’s not quite right.
FFP Cloud Still Looms
While timing would cost them some money, a much bigger challenge awaits in the background. Manchester City are facing a staggering 115 Financial Fair Play (FFP) charges relating to alleged historic breaches, to which they’ve made it clear, they “vehemently deny the charges.”
This isn’t just about fines or late kick-offs anymore; it’s a legal and reputational battle that could shape the future of the club for years to come. The Premier League’s investigation has dragged on, but when the verdict finally lands, it could bring anything from heavy sanctions to points deductions. Possibly even relegation. Rival fans are anxiously waiting and demanding that day to come.
Final thoughts
Manchester City owning up to nine separate timing breaches might seem like a small detail, but it sends a pretty loud message: nobody’s above the rules, not even one of the biggest clubs in the world. Sure, the £1.08 million in fines might raise some eyebrows at first glance, but let’s be honest, it barely causes any problems to City’s wallet. When you’re raking in Champions League money and operating with one of football’s biggest budgets, that figure is more of a slap on the wrist than a real punishment. Ultimately, it’s a good reminder that modern football runs on precision. When the world’s watching, through cameras, replays, and global broadcasts, every second counts.
