The future of Manchester City in the legal proceedings with the Premier League remains undecided, but reports of the club being found guilty of widespread financial irregularities have led to speculation about potential consequences. As a dominant force in the Premier League for over a decade, severe sanctions against City could cause upheaval in English football.
Rival clubs plan to file their own lawsuits, demanding hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation, and there is also discussion about the possibility of stripping City of several titles and trophies from the last fifteen years.
Sanctioning and Appeals Process
The first report on this came from The Athletic on Friday: City was found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against it. However, no punitive measures have been confirmed yet.
Even after a penalty decision is made, if the club is found guilty, it will almost certainly appeal. In a letter to club fans on Saturday, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak stated: 'Our confidence and intention to prove the club's innocence are as strong as when this case began.'
The case, which began after the German publication Der Spiegel published leaks of documents from City executives in 2018, may take a significant amount of time to fully resolve. According to Premier League rules, sanctions can range from point deductions and fines to relegation.
In the 2023/24 season, Everton and Nottingham Forest received point deductions for separate breaches of financial sustainability rules. Based on this precedent, City faces almost certain relegation if found guilty of more than 100 charges.
Another contentious issue is the question of applying sanctions before an appeal is heard. If this happens, City could find itself in the relegation zone before refuting any verdict of guilt. On the other hand, if City, currently sitting top of the table, is not penalized before the appeal concludes, it could deprive other clubs of a spot in the top division or favorable European qualification.
Even after the Premier League process, there is a possibility that City's owners, backed by Abu Dhabi, could approach the High Court of England if they dispute the legal matter regarding the arbitration process.
Who Stands to Gain?
City's rivals reacted quickly to the news of the potential club collapse. Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand posted: 'Another Premier League medal to add to the cabinet.'
However, the reality is that the process of overturning and retroactively awarding titles is complex. City's allegations cover the period from 2009 to 2018, when they won four championship titles, while United and Liverpool finished second twice in those seasons.
Nevertheless, City has won four more titles since then, which some believe were built on fraudulently obtained foundations. Furthermore, between 2009 and 2018, the club won four League Cups and one FA Cup, marking the club's first trophy in 35 years.
Tony Pulis, whose club Stoke lost the 2011 FA Cup final to City, told the BBC: 'I seriously do not believe that any other trophies and titles will be returned. But I still feel cheated.'
A more likely source of compensation for the clubs left out is financial compensation. Everton was informed in June that it must pay Burnley £35 million ($46 million) after they overtook Leicester for Premier League survival in the same season they breached financial sustainability rules.
What About City's Stars?
Less than a month ago, City made the largest transfer spending in one window, spending around £460 million on players such as Enzo Fernandez, Elliott Anderson, and Ayub Buaddi. The upcoming verdict on the charges has so far not significantly affected City's ability to attract and retain its stars.
Traditional striker Erling Haaland signed a nine-year contract in 2025, which could tie him until age 34. It remains unclear how many, if any, players could agree to exit clauses in the event of serious sanctions against City.