Manchester City 115 charges have taken a major turn, with the club reportedly found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial-rule breaches brought by the Premier League.
The independent panel hearing the long-running case is understood to have reached its decision, bringing a major development in one of the most significant financial cases in Premier League history.
However, the sanctions have not yet been decided, and the Premier League has not officially published the panel’s findings.
Manchester City have also indicated that the Premier League process remains ongoing and have not confirmed the reported verdict.
Manchester City Reportedly Guilty of Almost All 115 Charges
According to reports on Friday, 25 September 2026, the independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against the club.
The Athletic reported that the panel had reached its decision, with sanctions still to be determined. BBC Sport also reported that sources had confirmed a decision had been made and that City had been found guilty of the majority of the alleged breaches.
The Premier League has declined to comment on the reports, while Manchester City have also stopped short of confirming or denying the reported findings.
Instead, the club issued a statement saying:
“The Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.”
Manchester City also said it had respected due process throughout the eight-year case and expected the Premier League board and executive to act as an independent and impartial regulator.
What Are the 115 Manchester City Charges?
Manchester City were charged by the Premier League in February 2023 following a four-year investigation.
The original 115 charges relate to alleged breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, together with alleged failures to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation.
| Charges | Allegation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | Failure to provide accurate financial information | 2009-10 to 2017-18 |
| 14 | Failure to provide accurate details concerning player and manager payments | 2009-10 to 2017-18 |
| 5 | Breaches of UEFA rules, including Financial Fair Play regulations | 2013-14 to 2017-18 |
| 7 | Breaches of Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules | 2015-16 to 2017-18 |
| 35 | Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations | December 2018 to February 2023 |
| 115 | Total charges |
The Premier League alleged that Manchester City had failed to provide accurate financial information, including information relating to revenue, sponsorship and player and manager payments.
Manchester City have consistently denied the allegations and have maintained that their case is supported by what the club described as a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence”.
When Did the Manchester City Financial Case Begin?
The Premier League announced the charges against Manchester City in February 2023, after a four-year investigation.
The case was subsequently referred to an independent commission.
The hearing eventually began in September 2024 and was conducted behind closed doors. It lasted approximately 12 weeks before concluding in December 2024.
The commission has since spent almost two years considering the evidence and arguments presented by both sides.
The reported decision therefore comes more than three years after the original charges were announced.
What Trophies Did Manchester City Win During the Period?
The charges cover a period during which Manchester City became one of the dominant clubs in English football.
The period under investigation includes the managerial tenures of Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, as well as the first two years of Pep Guardiola’s reign.
City won eight trophies during the period covered by the case:
Guardiola subsequently remained at Manchester City for 10 seasons before leaving the club at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
What Happens Next?
The reported guilty findings are not the end of the process.
The independent panel still has to determine the appropriate sanctions, meaning it is currently too early to say what punishment Manchester City will receive.
Possible sanctions under Premier League rules could include financial penalties, points deductions or other sporting and regulatory measures, depending on the final findings and the rules applicable to the individual breaches.
Any sanction would also potentially be subject to appeal.
BBC Sport has reported that Manchester City are expected to appeal against the findings if the club is formally found guilty.
The exact timetable for the publication of the commission’s decision and any subsequent sanctions has not yet been confirmed.
Could Manchester City Appeal?
Yes.
Manchester City have consistently contested the charges and have indicated that they would challenge an adverse finding.
If the reported verdict is formally confirmed, the appeal process could therefore become the next major stage of the case.
That means the reported findings should not yet be treated as the final outcome of the entire dispute.
What About Manchester City’s Separate Legal Case Over Sponsorship Rules?
The 115-charge case should not be confused with Manchester City’s separate legal challenge concerning the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules.
Manchester City challenged aspects of those rules, which govern commercial arrangements involving parties connected with club ownership.
In 2024, an independent arbitration panel found against aspects of the league’s APT regulations after Manchester City launched an arbitration challenge.
A tribunal held in February 2025 that the Premier League’s rules governing sponsorship deals from the period between 2021 and 2024 were “void and unenforceable”.
Manchester City and the Premier League reached a settlement in September 2025, with the club accepting that the APT Rules were valid and binding and both parties agreeing to terminate the legal proceedings.
That case is separate from the 115 financial charges.
Why Are the 115 Charges So Important?
The case concerns financial regulations covering almost a decade of Manchester City’s history and overlaps with a period in which the club transformed itself into one of the most successful sides in European football.
A finding against City on the reported scale could therefore have significant consequences for the club, although the eventual consequences cannot be known until the independent commission publishes its formal findings and determines the sanctions.
It is also important to distinguish between the reported findings and the final outcome of any appeal.
Manchester City 115 Charges: Latest Update
25 September 2026: Reports emerge that the independent panel has reached its decision in the Premier League’s long-running financial case against Manchester City.
Reported finding: Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of 114 of the 115 alleged breaches, according to reports from The Athletic and The Times.
Official confirmation: The Premier League has not published the verdict and has declined to comment.
Manchester City’s position: The club says the Premier League process remains ongoing and subject to confidentiality.
Sanctions: Yet to be determined.
Appeal: Manchester City are expected to appeal if the reported findings are formally confirmed.
This is a developing story and will be updated as the Premier League and independent commission release further information.
Manchester City 115 Charges: Key Facts
- Charges: 115
- Reported guilty findings: 114
- Reported not guilty finding: 1
- Original charges announced: February 2023
- Financial period: 2009-10 to 2017-18
- Hearing: September-December 2024
- Commission: Independent Premier League commission
- Sanctions: Yet to be determined
- Manchester City position: Charges have been contested
- Expected next step: Appeal if the reported findings are formally confirmed
