Man City Accused of Breaking Rules Over Financial Reporting

The Premier League has charged the world’s richest soccer team with breaking financial rules.

Manchester City, which retained its position as the highest revenue-generating soccer team at $794 million for the 2021-22 season, has been referred to an independent commission by the top-flight English league over alleged breaches of its financial rules each season from 2009-10 to 2017-18.

• The Premier League alleges the club failed to provide accurate information representing a “true and fair view of the club’s financial position.”
• Man City also allegedly didn’t provide full details of player remuneration from the 2010-11 to 2015-16 seasons and manager remuneration from the 2009-10 to 2011-12 seasons.
• It also allegedly breached Union of European Football Associations Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations between 2013 and 2018.

Since the club was purchased in 2008 by a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, it has spent more than roughly $2.25 billion on buying players, according to Transfermarkt.

The Premier League also claims the club — which Forbes last valued at $4.25 billion — didn’t cooperate or assist with investigations over the last four years.

A commission will be held in private, and the team could face fines, point deductions, or relegation from the league.

Not the First Time

Manchester City was previously given a two-year ban from UEFA competitions for allegedly breaking FFP regulations in February 2020, which was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.