Masters: Man City Charges Verdict 'Taken Longer Than Expected'
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- Manchester City were charged in February 2023 with more than 100 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules covering a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018, and have denied all charges and any wrongdoing.
- The 12-week hearing before a three-person independent commission ran from September to December 2024, but as of August 2026 — almost two years later — no verdict has been delivered.
- Premier League chief executive Richard Masters told Sky News the process "has taken longer than expected" and "I do understand the frustrations," while declining to give any update on timing.
- Masters said he was not angry with the commission, insisting the panel "need the time and the space to do their job" and that the league's role is to put allegations before an independent commission and "allow that commission to establish the truth."
- Manchester City won three Premier League titles during the 2009–2018 period covered by the alleged breaches, a detail underscoring the stakes if the charges are upheld.
- Premier League rules require Masters to keep the proceedings fully confidential until a decision is formally handed down, leaving no public roadmap for when the verdict will arrive.
Why it matters: The delay matters because City allegedly breached financial rules across nine seasons that included three Premier League title wins — meaning the eventual verdict could retroactively reshape those trophy years and set the standard for how the league enforces financial fair play on its biggest clubs.
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