Manchester City hearing into 115 alleged breaches could take place in September
Manchester City’s hearing for 115 alleged financial breaches could begin as soon as next month with the club potentially learning its fate by early next year.
The most consequential case in Premier League history is reportedly on track to be heard from late September, although further delays are possible.
By then, City will have the results of a separate arbitration hearing against the competition on associated-party transaction rules. In that case, City have already claimed they are victims of “discrimination” from rival clubs.
The long-awaited financial case against City, to be heard by an independent panel, had been originally pencilled in for October and November. It has now emerged there will be a 10-week likely timescale for the hearing, with a potential verdict to be returned early next year.
The Times reports that the timescale for the case has now been brought forward to a likely September start date. Manchester City and the Premier League both declined to comment on what they continue to describe as a confidential process.
Potential expulsion from the league is among available punishments should the club be found guilty. The case cannot go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), but either side could appeal, prompting speculation the saga could take years to be resolved.
The charges against City, who deny wrongdoing, include 54 failures to provide accurate financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18, 14 failures to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18, five failures to comply with Uefa’s rules including financial fair play (FFP) from 2013-14 to 2017-18, seven breaches of the Premier League’s PSR rules from 2015-16 to 2017-18 and 35 failures to co-operate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 to February 2023.
In a 2020 judgment, Uefa banned City from the Champions League for two seasons and fined them 30 million euros. However, the punishment was overturned by Cas.