Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has told supporters that the club remains confident of proving its innocence after reports that an independent commission found it guilty of 114 of the 115 financial-rule charges brought by the Premier League.
The reported findings relate to alleged breaches covering a nine-season period from 2009 to 2018. City are expected to appeal, while sanctions have not yet been determined.
In an open letter to supporters on Saturday, Al Mubarak said the process remained incomplete and insisted that the club’s position had not changed.
“The Premier League process still has a long way to run,” he wrote, adding that City’s confidence in proving its innocence remained as strong as when the case began.
The chairman said confidentiality rules prevented City from disclosing details that it believes would help supporters understand its position.
The club had also said on Friday that the Premier League process remained ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.
The case stems from 115 charges announced by the Premier League in February 2023 following a four-year investigation.
The allegations cover several areas, including the provision of accurate financial information, details concerning player and manager payments, compliance with UEFA financial rules, Premier League profitability and sustainability requirements, and alleged failures to cooperate with the league’s investigation.
The hearing before a three-person independent commission took place from September to December 2024.
The reported findings have not yet been accompanied by a publicly announced sanction.
Under Premier League rules, an independent commission has a range of potential sanctions available in disciplinary cases. These can include fines, points deductions, suspension from league matches, player-registration restrictions and a recommendation for expulsion.
City have consistently denied wrongdoing since the Premier League case was announced. The club has also maintained that it has respected due process and has challenged aspects of the league’s handling of the matter.
The current case is separate from Manchester City’s earlier UEFA Financial Fair Play proceedings.
In 2020, UEFA’s adjudicatory chamber imposed a two-season European competition ban and a €30m fine after finding serious FFP breaches.
However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the ban and reduced the fine to €10m, while finding that City had failed to cooperate with UEFA’s investigation.
That earlier case does not determine the outcome of the Premier League proceedings, which concern a different set of alleged breaches and operate under a separate regulatory process.
Al Mubarak acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the latest development but urged supporters to remain focused on the club.
“Nothing has changed,” he said, adding that City would not allow the controversy to distract it from its progress.
The next significant stage will be the determination of any sanctions and the expected appeal.
For now, the reported 114 guilty findings represent a major development in a case that has remained unresolved for years, but the final sporting and financial consequences for Manchester City have yet to be established.
