Manchester City’s appeal hearing is expected in mid-December, with a ruling due in the new year and possible sanctions still subject to appeal.
According to an exclusive report by the Financial Times, Manchester City’s appeal against the ruling that it breached Premier League financial rules is expected to be heard in mid-December, with the hearing potentially lasting several days.
People familiar with the matter said the independent commission handling the case is expected to issue its appeal ruling in the new year. If Manchester City loses its appeal, the commission will then decide on sanctions.
The timetable for the proceedings has been kept tightly confidential. It had previously been thought that sanctions might be announced before the appeal process concluded. If Manchester City loses its appeal, Premier League rules give the independent commission broad powers to impose whatever sanctions it considers appropriate, including a fine, a points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League.
It is not yet clear when any sanction would take effect, and the sanction itself could also be appealed. Legal experts have warned that this means uncertainty surrounding the Premier League, the world’s most popular domestic football competition, could continue beyond the end of the season in May and potentially for years.
The Premier League and Manchester City both declined to comment on the timetable for future legal hearings. In a ruling published in September, the independent commission found all but one of the 115 charges brought against Manchester City in 2023 proven. The allegations concerned arranging sponsorship agreements, concealing funding from the owner, and breaching the competition’s spending limits.
According to the ruling, under a financing arrangement used by the club, an Abu Dhabi private investment company ultimately controlled by Manchester City owner and Emirati royal Sheikh Mansour covered the shortfall in sponsorship fees paid by some of the club’s commercial sponsors.
