Football

Manchester City concealed in excess of $1 billion in funding through «sham» commercial agreements, the Premier League has revealed.

Read more ANJL and IBJR Appeal to Brazil’s Supreme Court to Suspend Online Betting Ban

In one of the most astonishing cheating scandals in sporting history, the Premier League has confirmed that City — 10-time English champions, with eight of those coming under their now discredited Abu Dhabi ownership — are guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the competition’s financial rules between 2009/10 and 2017/18.

The independent commission, which heard a 12-week hearing in late 2024, declared that City arranged a number of «sham» commercial agreements during this period, which were part of a disguised funding scheme. Companies only paid a portion of the sponsorship, with the club’s owners responsible for making up the difference.

City have strongly denied the allegations and have announced their intention to appeal.

MORE: Will Erling Haaland leave Man City? What Premier League punishment could mean

What was Man City found guilty of by Premier League?

The independent commission investigated allegations of financial impropriety at City spanning a nine-year period. Their statement on the matter detailed the following:

•  Manchester City arranged «sham» contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on «sham» agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs
•  The club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators
• Manchester City was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits
• During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld).

The one charge relating to non-cooperation that was not upheld is the only charge in the entire case against City that did not stick.

Of the so-called sham agreements, the Premier League said: «The purpose of these schemes was found to have been to artificially inflate the club’s revenues, and reduce its costs, by more than £900 million during the affected period, to appear to comply with financial rules.»

What did the Premier League say about Man City charges?

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters called the case and decision «the most significant in Premier League history.»

He said: «The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade.

«It also vindicates the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the league has remained determined that the facts be established independently.»

Getty Images

Man City to appeal Premier League decision

City have until October 2 to launch an appeal and have confirmed their intention to do so. Once again, the club referenced a body of «irrefutable» evidence, despite it being comprehensively refuted by the independent panel.

«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,» a statement read. «The club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums. 

Read more Football

«The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe. 

«The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.»

Getty Images

Soriano claims ‘Premier League conspiracy’

In a subsequently leaked video statement distributed to Manchester City staff, CEO Ferran Soriano came out strongly against the verdict, alleging a conspiracy against his club and pledging to seek compensation.

«A document has been made public with an opinion of the Premier League commission that is negative to our interests,» Soriano said. «I want to explain exactly what this is, the next steps, and how we are going to continue to defend the club and finally be vindicated in this process.

«This has gone on for so long that it is important to remind ourselves that the whole Premier League case against us is based on a single, false accusation: that the owner’s personal money was somehow and secretly put into the club via some sponsors from Abu Dhabi. This is just not true.

«Irrefutable evidence has been provided to the Premier League commission that shows that it could not happen and it did not happen. This includes bank statements, money transfers, witnesses and everything necessary to categorically demonstrate that the money did not come from the owner.

«Every other false charge that has been thrown at us, and aggressively marketed and promoted, comes from that simple, central and completely false accusation. Surprisingly for us and our lawyers, after nearly two years, the Premier League commission has issued an opinion that supports the Premier League’s conspiracy theory.»

He added: «We will now be relentless in our work. We will focus on the independent appeal process and also all other legal avenues available to us, in order to win the case. And we will take all necessary action to protect the club and seek compensation from any party that tries to damage it, now and in the future.»

Ferran Soriano’s message to #ManCity staff. ⤵️

➖ Case based on ‘false accusation’
➖ Sponsorship money not from owner
➖ ‘Irrefutable evidence’ provided
➖ Premier League ‘conspiracy theory’
➖ Extensive evidence ‘ignored’
➖ Conclusion ‘clearly wrong’
➖ Appeal will be filed… pic.twitter.com/Xj1RTvbfKX

— City Report (@cityreport_) September 29, 2026

Under Premier League rules, any ruling after the appeals process before a new three-person independent panel is final. Unlike when City had their two-year UEFA ban overturned in July 2020, there is no recourse to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Soriano’s reference to «all other legal avenues» plural in the statement possibly suggests taking the fight to clear their name to the High Court. 

The Sporting News contacted Manchester City to clarify if this was the case and the club declined to comment.

Read more Football