The Premier League hearing on the allegations against Manchester City in relation to financial breaches starts on Monday. What are the charges, when will a verdict be reached? Here's what you need to know about the 115 charges.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Manchester City is facing 115 charges in England. In the worst case scenario, the club, which is controlled by the United Arab Emirates, could face forced relegation.
- The investigations against the club have their roots in the "Football Leaks" scandal of 2018.
- The trial begins on Monday and is expected to last around two months, with a verdict expected in spring/summer 2024.
- The British government could also have its say, as the UK economy has benefited from billions in payments from the United Arab Emirates for years.
What is ManCity accused of?
In 2018, Der Spiegel, in collaboration with the research network EIC (European Investigative Collaborations) and Portuguese football whistleblower Rui Pinto, uncovered around 70 million football leaks documents.
The Premier League scrutinized these documents and, after a four-year investigation, brought 115 charges against the Manchester club in February 2023. The charges relate to breaches of Financial Fair Play, according to which each club is only allowed to spend as much money as it earns.
Essentially, ManCity is accused of artificially boosting the club's income through inflated sponsorship contracts. However, the vast majority of the charges relate to the club's refusal to cooperate during the proceedings.
The 115 charges against ManCity
- Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information for the period between 2009 and 2018.
(54 charges) - Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager salaries between 2009 and 2018
(14 counts) - Failure to comply with UEFA regulations, including the UEFA Regulations for Clubs and Licenses and Financial Fair Play.
(5 counts) - Breaches of the Premier League's profitability and sustainability regulations between 2015 and 2017.
(7 counts) - Failure to cooperate with Premier League investigators from December 2018 to date.
(35 charges)
What are possible penalties?
Manchester City could well face steep penalties if found guilty. In addition to heavy fines, the Premier League has the option of deducting points from the club in the current or previous seasons. This could result in the club being stripped of titles. In the worst case, there is even the threat of forced relegation or expulsion from the Premier League.
When is a verdict expected?
The trial, which starts on Monday, is expected to last around two months. British media are currently assuming that a verdict will be reached by spring/summer 2025.
What kind of verdict is expected?
Many scenarios are currently being discussed, from acquittal to forced relegation. A look at the past season shows that the English league is cracking down on breaches of Financial Fair Play.
Everton FC were deducted six points and two points from the final table of the 2023/24 season following two breaches of Financial Fair Play. Nottingham Forest received a deduction of four points for an infringement.
These judgments cannot simply be extrapolated to the 115 infringements committed by Manchester City. This is partly because the cases are different, but there are also other factors at play for the reigning English champions.
The British government could possibly get involved in the case. It confirmed back in September 2023 that its embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) were involved in the proceedings against Manchester City.
The government did not wish to comment on the secret talks. One thing is clear: bilateral relations between the UK and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have grown significantly in recent years. In September 2021, the UAE agreed to invest £10 billion in British green energy, technology and infrastructure.
Whether such payments are at risk in the event of a guilty verdict against Manchester City is unknown. Meanwhile, the Arab owners of the "Skyblues" are confident of victory. They were surprised by the charges, but have "extensive" and "irrefutable" evidence of innocence, they said in a statement in the spring.
