Manchester City Appeal Hearing Set for Mid-December as Sanctions Decision Pushed into 2027

Manchester City Appeal Hearing Set for Mid-December as Sanctions Decision Pushed into 2027 Man City have been handed a crucial update in their ongoing legal battle against the Premier League More Videos An independent commission found Manchester City guilty on 114 of 115 charges of breaching the Premier League's financial rules, in a verdict published on 29 September following a case that dated back to the charges first laid in February 2023. The commission ruled that sham arrangements funded by Abu Dhabi United Group had inflated the club's revenues and reduced its costs by more than £900 million across the nine seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18. City declared their innocence in a statement on the day of the ruling, insisting they hold substantial evidence in support of their position and describing the commission's opinion as unsafe. The club then lodged a comprehensive appeal at 7pm on 1 October, arguing that the findings contain clear material errors of law, principle and fact. As reported by the Financial Times , Manchester City's appeal is expected to be heard in the middle of December, according to people familiar with the situation, and the hearing could last for several days. The outlet adds that a judgment on the appeal is expected in the new year, and that a decision on sanctions would only follow if the club's challenge proves unsuccessful. The timing of the process has been kept tightly under wraps, with the Financial Times noting that some had previously suggested sanctions could be announced before the appeal had run its course. Should the appeal fail, the Premier League's rules hand the independent commission wide-ranging powers to impose whatever punishment it deems appropriate, with the options running from fines and points deductions all the way to expulsion from the league. It remains unclear when any sanctions would come into force, and the Financial Times points out that punishments can themselves be appealed, meaning legal experts believe the uncertainty could extend beyond the end of the season in May and potentially for years. The Premier League and City both declined to comment on the timing of any future hearings, according to the report. The verdict, the appeal and City's season so far The commission's ruling found that a private Abu Dhabi investment company ultimately controlled by Sheikh Mansour, who owns City, had topped up fees paid by some of the club's commercial sponsors. Manchester City 's appeal is expected to argue that the sponsorship funding came from the Abu Dhabi government as a sovereign body rather than from a private company, with sources having suggested full resolution of the case may not arrive until 2028 or 2029. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described the case as the most significant in the competition's history after the verdict was published, adding that the league intends to move swiftly through the remaining stages of the process. Rival clubs including Manchester United and Tottenham have also been reported to be preparing civil claims worth around £800 million in total in the wake of the commission's findings. On the pitch, City head into the international break on the back of three straight Premier League defeats, losing to Aston Villa , Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest to fall six points behind leaders Arsenal .