The hearing into Manchester City’s 115 charges for alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules commenced on Monday.
City were charged and referred to an independent commission in February 2023, following a four-year investigation. The charges allege that City violated financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
Manchester City strongly deny all charges and assert that their position is supported by a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence.”
The Premier League claims that City failed to provide “accurate financial information” that would offer a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, including details on club revenue, sponsorship income, and operating costs.
Additionally, the league has accused City of not cooperating with the investigation.
At the onset of the investigation, City dismissed the allegations as “entirely false” and contended that the claims, initially published by German newspaper Der Spiegel, resulted from “illegal hacking and out-of-context publication of City emails.”
Since their takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, Manchester City have secured eight league titles, multiple domestic cups, and the Champions League.
The private hearing, anticipated to last approximately 10 weeks, is being conducted at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London.
What are the 115 charges?
• 54x Failure to provide accurate financial information 2009-10 to 2017-18.
• 14x Failure to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
• 5x Failure to comply with Uefa’s rules including Financial Fair Play (FFP) 2013-14 to 2017-18.
• 7x Breaching Premier League’s PSR rules 2015-16 to 2017-18.
• 35x Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations December 2018 – Feb 2023.
The Times has reported that the actual number of alleged rule breaches is 130. That came after confusion in how the Premier League originally listed the charges in relation to particular seasons, in its February 2023 statement.
They are not additional charges, but the Premier League has reportedly issued a correction.
How long will the case last?
The hearing is expected to last around 10 weeks, according to media reports, taking us into late November.
“It starts soon and hopefully finishes soon,” City manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday. “I am looking forward to the decision.
“I’m happy it’s starting on Monday. I know there will be more rumours, new specialists about the sentences. We’re going to see. I know what people are looking forward to, what they expect, I know, what I read for many, many years.
“Everybody is innocent until guilt is proven. So we’ll see.”
When will there be a verdict?
Once the hearing is concluded, there will not be an immediate judgment. An exact date for a verdict is unknown, with reports only suggesting a decision ‘early in 2025’.
Will there be an appeal?
This type of case cannot go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). But either side could appeal and a fresh hearing, with a new independent panel arranged.
What about legal costs?
This case has been in development for six years, with legal fees on both sides already estimated to be in the tens of millions of pounds, even before the hearing begins.
Whichever side emerges victorious is expected to file a claim for legal costs.
For context, in last season’s first PSR case, the Premier League sought for Everton to cover the full £4.9 million in legal costs related to their six-point deduction. Everton’s lawyer, Celia Rooney, described those costs as “frankly eye-watering” during the appeal.
However, the appeal board ruled that Everton would pay £1.7 million, while the Premier League would cover the remaining £3.2 million.
If the Premier League ends up bearing any costs in the Manchester City case, those expenses would be distributed among the 20 clubs in the league.