Manchester City’s Premier League rivals are reportedly demanding a punishment more severe than a single season in the Championship after the club were found guilty of 114 financial breaches.
Executives at several top-flight clubs believe one relegation would not adequately reflect the scale and duration of the misconduct identified by the independent commission.
Rival clubs also want City’s punishment and any subsequent appeal finalised before the end of the current season, allowing sanctions to take effect from the beginning of the 2027/28 campaign.
City continue to deny wrongdoing and are preparing to challenge the verdict.
Clubs demand swift conclusion
The Times reports that Premier League clubs are concerned City’s appeal could extend the case into another season after years of uncertainty.
New Premier League regulations state that an appeal should ordinarily be concluded within 84 days. The current timetable reportedly points towards the process being completed by the end of January 2027.
City’s lawyers could argue that those deadlines should not apply because the case began before the new regulations were introduced.
However, one unnamed club executive told the newspaper that allowing the proceedings to continue beyond the end of the season would be unacceptable.
The demand does not necessarily mean City will be punished during the current 2026/27 campaign. Rival clubs reportedly want the process completed this season so the final sanction can be implemented for 2027/28.
Championship relegation ‘would be insufficient’
The Guardian reports that executives at several rival clubs want a punishment which keeps City out of the Premier League for longer than one season.
“Relegation to the Championship for one season would be insufficient,” an unnamed club source said.
The source argued that the sanction must reflect what the commission characterised as years of sustained misconduct while providing a strong deterrent against similar breaches.
The commission reportedly found that City recorded almost £950million in sponsorship income between 2009 and 2018, with £830.69m of that money allegedly provided through the Abu Dhabi United Group rather than the named commercial sponsors.
City were found to have submitted inaccurate financial information, concealed payments and obstructed the Premier League’s investigation. The club rejects those findings and maintains its innocence.
No punishment has yet been announced. Potential sanctions available to the commission include a fine, transfer restrictions, a substantial points deduction or expulsion from the Premier League.
Expulsion remains unlikely, says former Everton chief
Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness believes there is only a 10 per cent chance of City being expelled directly from the Premier League.
Wyness said there was no established mechanism allowing a club to be removed from the top flight and automatically placed in a particular English Football League division.
He believes the more likely option would be a points deduction large enough to relegate City through the normal league table.
Dropping City outside the 92 professional clubs would create further complications because the EFL would have to decide whether to admit them into one of its competitions.
Previous reports have suggested EFL clubs could resist City being placed directly into their divisions because doing so would affect promotion, relegation and membership throughout the pyramid.
City prepare for prolonged legal battle
City are expected to appeal both the findings against them and any sanction eventually imposed.
The appeal would be considered by a new panel, while reports suggest the club could explore a High Court challenge if its attempts to overturn the verdict through football’s disciplinary process are unsuccessful.
The Premier League case cannot be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the body which overturned City’s two-year UEFA ban in 2020.
Until the sanctions hearing and appeal process are completed, relegation, expulsion and points deductions remain possible outcomes rather than confirmed punishments.
