Manchester City have formally challenged the most serious verdict in Premier League history, confirming on Friday that the club lodged a "comprehensive appeal" against the independent commission's finding that they breached the competition's financial rules.
The club said it filed the appeal at 7pm on Thursday, October 1, just ahead of Friday's deadline. In a statement, City said its "firm position" is that the commission's opinion "contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe", and insisted the club is innocent of the accusations with "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" supporting its position.
What the commission found
The independent commission's decision, published on Tuesday, found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations over nine seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18, as well as three of four charges concerning failures to cooperate with the investigation. The Premier League said City had used "sham" commercial contracts to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than 900 million pounds — about $1.2 billion — over nearly a decade, describing the club as having "systematically" broken the league's rules.
What comes next
The Premier League confirmed City lodged the appeal with the chair of the judicial panel, adding that the independent appeal board's hearing will remain private and confidential until publication of the outcome is permitted. Under league rules the board must have three members, one of whom should have held judicial office. Fines, points deductions and other sporting sanctions sit within the commission's "broad discretion" on punishment, though no sanction has been announced.
City CEO Ferran Soriano moved quickly after Tuesday's verdict, sending a video message to staff calling the case "a single false accusation — that the owners' personal money was somehow and secretly put into the club via some sponsors from Abu Dhabi. This is just not true." ESPN reported that part of City's appeal is expected to claim the money in question came from the Abu Dhabi government rather than the club's owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group — an argument that would raise questions about whether the club is privately or state-owned.
The Football Association weighed in on Friday, saying the verdict has "significant implications for the integrity of the game" and that it would take action where appropriate. Reuters separately reported that Football Leaks whistleblower Rui Pinto, whose disclosures helped trigger scrutiny of City's finances, is set to lose his witness-protection status in Portugal on October 10; his legal team said threats against him are "not merely theoretical."
Sources: Man City appeal guilty verdict in Premier League breaches case — ESPN, Oct 2, 2026; Man City whistleblower to lose witness protection days after club's guilty verdict — Reuters, Oct 2, 2026
The club said it filed the appeal at 7pm on Thursday, October 1, just ahead of Friday's deadline. In a statement, City said its "firm position" is that the commission's opinion "contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe", and insisted the club is innocent of the accusations with "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" supporting its position.
What the commission found
The independent commission's decision, published on Tuesday, found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations over nine seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18, as well as three of four charges concerning failures to cooperate with the investigation. The Premier League said City had used "sham" commercial contracts to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than 900 million pounds — about $1.2 billion — over nearly a decade, describing the club as having "systematically" broken the league's rules.
What comes next
The Premier League confirmed City lodged the appeal with the chair of the judicial panel, adding that the independent appeal board's hearing will remain private and confidential until publication of the outcome is permitted. Under league rules the board must have three members, one of whom should have held judicial office. Fines, points deductions and other sporting sanctions sit within the commission's "broad discretion" on punishment, though no sanction has been announced.
City CEO Ferran Soriano moved quickly after Tuesday's verdict, sending a video message to staff calling the case "a single false accusation — that the owners' personal money was somehow and secretly put into the club via some sponsors from Abu Dhabi. This is just not true." ESPN reported that part of City's appeal is expected to claim the money in question came from the Abu Dhabi government rather than the club's owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group — an argument that would raise questions about whether the club is privately or state-owned.
The Football Association weighed in on Friday, saying the verdict has "significant implications for the integrity of the game" and that it would take action where appropriate. Reuters separately reported that Football Leaks whistleblower Rui Pinto, whose disclosures helped trigger scrutiny of City's finances, is set to lose his witness-protection status in Portugal on October 10; his legal team said threats against him are "not merely theoretical."
Sources: Man City appeal guilty verdict in Premier League breaches case — ESPN, Oct 2, 2026; Man City whistleblower to lose witness protection days after club's guilty verdict — Reuters, Oct 2, 2026