Man City charges verdict – live: Bombshell decision set to be announced over Premier League charges | OneFootball

The long-awaited verdict has been delivered (Getty)

A verdict over Premier League charges against Manchester City is finally set to be delivered after a bombshell report said the club have been “found guilty on almost all of the charges”.

The Athletic reported on Friday that the former champions have been found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules, in what would be a seminal moment for the richest football league in the world.

The landmark ruling follows one of the most significant court cases in the history of sport, with the verdict also having major repercussions for City’s rivals. The Premier League have declined to comment, however.

City, currently top of the Premier League after five games, were charged with over 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules in February 2023, with the club always denying any wrongdoing throughout the process.

An independent commission was appointed following a four-year investigation. Sanctions have not yet been decided, according to The Athletic, and City are expected to appeal. The club said the Premier League process “remains ongoing”.

Enzo Maresca's cryptic Instagram post amid Man City verdict

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca posted “time to breathe, time to analyse, time to learn” on his Instagram account, just shortly before The Athletic reported that City had been found guilty of almost all of the Premier League’s charges.

Hmmm.

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 15:23

What has Enzo Maresca said on Man City's charges?

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who took over from Pep Guardiola in the summer, said before the start of the season that he had “no concerns” over the Premier League charges.

Maresca was previously Guardiola’s assistant and was at the club in February 2023 when they were charged by the Premier League with breaking their financial rules.

“The only thing I can say is three years ago, the treble season, I was here, and it was the same words about this,” Maresca said in July.

“In three years, it's still the same. Nothing has happened. I don't have any concerns, personally."

Maresca has won his first five games of the Premier League season after signing a three-year contract.

(PA Wire)

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 15:20

No sanctions have been announced and Man City are expected to appeal

Manchester City insist the process “remains ongoing”.

The Premier League have not yet announced sanctions, but City are expected to appeal the long-awaited verdict after they were found “guilty on almost all of the charges”.

Possible sanctions include fines, points deductions, and even expulsion from the Premier League.

Those sanctions could be applied now, or retrospectively. That could mean City are stripped of titles and trophies.

City insisted in February 2023 that they were “surprised” by the charges and said there was evidence to prove their innocence.

How did we get here?

The landmark ruling follows one of the most significant court cases in the history of sport. City were charged with over 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules in February 2023 following a four-year investigation.

The Premier League said the alleged breaches took place between 2009 and 2018, and related to providing accurate financial information and failing to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Other charges included an accusation of failing to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation, which was prompted by the Football Leaks revelations.

City have been England’s most successful team since the club’s fortunes were transformed by Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in 2008. The club won the Premier League three times between 2009 and 2018, a period in which the club also won one FA Cup and three League Cups.

Under former manager Pep Guardiola, City won the Premier League in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, including an unprecedented run of four in a row. In 2023, the club also won the Champions League for the first time, completing a historic ‘Treble’ of major prizes.

City had denied any wrongdoing throughout the process and announced their “surprise” when they were referred to an independent commission.

(PA Archive)

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 15:07

Why was verdict delayed?

The independent hearing into Man City's charges concluded in December 2024, yet the nature of the case was described as “hugely complex," leading to a lengthy delay in the verdict.

The timeframe between the start of the hearing and the judgement has stretched to almost three years.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters admitted to Sky Sports before the 2025/26 season that he had grown frustrated with the situation.

"It's an independent judiciary essentially," he said. “They are then in charge of the process and its timings. They hear the case, they decide the outcome and we have no influence over it or its timing.

“My frustration is irrelevant really, I just have to wait. Legal processes rarely take less time than you anticipated. But we have to be patient.”