Why Manchester City’s Emirati owners are under scrutiny over Sudan’s civil war | OneFootball

The brutal civil war ravaging Sudan has revived allegations of Emirati meddling, casting a political shadow over Manchester City’s ownership.

The New York Times reports links, based on US intercepts, between RSF chief Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemetti, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Manchester City’s owner.

Mansour’s fund controls the majority of City Football Group, with Manchester City its flagship. The club has been chaired since 2008 by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, who also leads Abu Dhabi’s Executive Affairs Authority.

Fighting between Sudan’s army and the RSF has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced over 13 million since April 2023. El-Fasher fell after a siege of more than 540 days, and RSF advances continue into North Kordofan. Both sides face war crimes allegations.

Abu Dhabi denies aiding either side and says it condemns atrocities. It cites an April 2025 UN experts’ report finding no tangible evidence, while a January 2024 UN panel noted frequent Abu Dhabi to eastern Chad cargo flights that the UAE called humanitarian.

Sudan filed an ICJ case accusing the UAE of complicity in genocide, dismissed in May on jurisdictional grounds. In Britain, groups including Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Manchester4Sudan have protested near the Etihad and urged the Premier League to press Mansour. Manchester City and City Football Group did not respond to requests for comment.

Source: L'Équipe