Manchester City Formally Appeal Premier League Guilty Verdict in Financial Scandal

Manchester City have officially filed an appeal against an independent commission's ruling that found the club guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, as the club works to overturn the decision and avoid potential severe sanctions.

The league announced on Tuesday that Manchester City had utilized "sham" commercial contracts to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than 900 million pounds ($1.19bn) across nearly a decade. The club was found guilty of all charges relating to financial rule breaches covering nine seasons from 2009-2010 to 2017-2018, alongside three out of four charges regarding failures to cooperate with the investigation. Throughout the proceedings, the club has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

In an official statement released on Friday, the club confirmed: “Manchester City Football Club can confirm that at 7pm on Thursday 1st October 2026 the Club lodged its comprehensive Appeal against the opinion of the Premier League Commission, in relation to the Premier League disciplinary matter.”

The statement continued, “The Club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe. The Club 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, relating to this case.”

The appeal will be evaluated by an independent three-member appeal board appointed by the chairperson of the league’s Judicial Panel. The proceedings will remain confidential until the outcome is officially published, with the rules stating that a hearing must take place within 12 weeks of the appeal lodging and a decision delivered within 30 days following the hearing.

Potential sanctions facing Manchester City include reprimands, fines, suspensions, points deductions, or expulsion from the competition, though no team has ever been removed from English football’s top flight. Meanwhile, the team prepares to continue its season under the management of Pep Guardiola as they visit Liverpool on October 11.

A key focus of the appeal is expected to center on how Abu Dhabi-based sponsorship deals were funded, with the commission having rejected Manchester City's explanations regarding contributions from the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG). In an internal video to staff, CEO Ferran Soriano maintained that the allegations regarding secret owner funding are entirely false.

Additionally, the Football Association (FA) issued remarks expressing concern over the impact of the scandal on the game's integrity, stating they will continue to monitor developments closely as the case progresses.