ع
The Athletic reported that an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of 114 out of 115 charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial rules, with the decision reached on September 25, 2026.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7632339/2026/09/27/manchester-city-premier-league-115-what-next/) The charges, spanning 2009 to 2018, centered on allegations that the club failed to provide accurate financial information, including details of payments to players and coaches, in addition to violations of financial sustainability regulations. Eighty of the charges concerned the substantive breaches while the remaining 35 related to the club’s alleged failure to cooperate with the investigation. No sanctions have been decided and Manchester City is expected to appeal, according to multiple reports.
According to the Financial Times, the ruling poses a fresh test for relations between the UK and the UAE, whose deputy prime minister and vice president, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has owned the club since 2008.[[2]](https://www.ft.com/content/36fd2644-9d0e-40b5-8a7a-ef33f302e652?syn-25a6b1a6=1) The newspaper noted that bilateral ties had soured in recent years over an Emirati-backed bid for the Daily Telegraph, differences regarding the civil war in Sudan and Abu Dhabi’s concerns that Britain had not sufficiently tackled the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood. Simon Penney, a former UK trade commissioner to the Middle East, told the Financial Times that the matter “will be sensitive and there may well be a feeling that Manchester City have been singled out.” He added that this “might cause some bilateral friction but if the breaches are genuine then it will be hard to say that this is politically motivated.”
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said on Saturday that the Premier League “sets its own rules” and “needs to sort it out as soon as possible,” with ministers seeking to distance the government and the club’s owners from the controversy. Manchester City has consistently denied the charges since they were filed in February 2023 following an investigation prompted by documents leaked to Der Spiegel in 2018. Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak stated that the club’s “confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” while a spokesperson added that the Premier League process “remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.”
The club has evolved into a dominant force in English football under Sheikh Mansour’s ownership, which Bloomberg reported has served as a flagship UAE investment in the UK.[[3]](https://www.sudanindependent.net/news/politics/2026/09/27/UAEowned-Manchester-City-foun) Potential sanctions, if the verdict is upheld on appeal, could include substantial fines, points deductions, expulsion from the Premier League or orders to pay compensation to other clubs, according to The Athletic. The case has taken on geopolitical dimensions given the close ties between the club, its Abu Dhabi owners and sponsors such as Etihad Airways.
Al Jazeera reported that the charges included accusations the club had inflated sponsorship revenue from UAE state-controlled entities to disguise direct investment from the owner’s Abu Dhabi United Group.[[4]](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/9/25/man-city-found-guilty-on-almost-all-115-premier-league-charges-report) A 12-week arbitration hearing was held from September to December 2024, after which the independent panel issued its ruling. The Premier League has declined to comment, citing the confidential nature of the proceedings.
