Reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City, have been referred to an independent commission after being charged with over 100 alleged financial breaches over several years, following an investigation in late 2018.
City’s alleged rule violations span across a nine-season period, from the 2009-10 season to 2017-18.
The club has been charged with failing to comply with the Premier League, Football League, and UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, designed to govern club finances by regulating player expenditure and ensuring sponsorship deals are based on their real market value.
In addition to revenue and operational cost-related charges, City has allegedly failed to disclose details of managerial remuneration between the 2009-10 and 2012-13 seasons, while also failing to follow the Premier League’s rules on profit and sustainability from the 2015-16 to 2018-19 seasons. The independent commission will sanction and evaluate the charges, where a guilty verdict could see City lose championship points, face suspension, and potential expulsion from the Premier League.
In early 2020, City were previously fined EUR€10 million (AUD$15 million) by UEFA and banned from the Champions League after being found guilty of committing serious breaches against FFP regulations, with the decision being overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In a statement, Manchester City FC said they were surprised by the charges, detailing their extensive engagement and vast number of detailed materials provided to the league.
Additionally, the Premier League said there would be no further comment on the matter until further notice.
