Manchester City confirm appeal against Premier League's independent commission's verdict on rule violations — SkimNews
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- Manchester City lodged a comprehensive appeal at 7pm on Thursday, October 1, 2026, against the independent commission's verdict on 114 breaches of Premier League rules, meeting their Friday deadline.
- City were found guilty of all but one of the 114 charges covering actions between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, including arranging "sham contracts" with commercial partners, making off-book payments to players and staff, and failing to cooperate with the Premier League's investigation.
- Manchester City denied guilt in their statement, calling the opinion "unsafe" and asserting that "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions."
- City reportedly plan to argue on appeal that the sanctioned sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government rather than by owner Sheikh Mansour and Abu Dhabi United Group — an explanation the initial commission dismissed as "concocted well after the event."
- The English Football Association published a separate statement saying City's guilty verdict has "significant implications for the integrity of the game" and that they are "carefully considering the decision and its implications and will take action where appropriate."
Why it matters: City's appeal challenges sanctions covering nine seasons of alleged financial rule-breaking, and the FA's intervention opens a second regulatory front. The appeal's outcome will determine whether one of the Premier League's most successful clubs faces penalties ranging from fines to expulsion, while the FA's pledge to "take action" signals the regulatory response may extend beyond the original commission's ruling.
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