Possible Punishments for Man City After Financial Charges

Manchester City might face several punishments after an independent body found them guilty of 114 out of 115 financial rule violations. This report came from The Athletic on Friday.

The exact sanctions are still unknown, but City is likely to appeal the decision.

The verdict involves claims of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018.

In February 2023, the Premier League charged City with 115 alleged violations covering the seasons from 2009/10 to 2017/18. They also faced accusations of not cooperating with the investigation from December 2018 to February 2023.

Of the 115 charges, 54 relate to financial details, 14 to payments for players and managers, five to UEFA rules like Financial Fair Play, seven to Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules, and 35 about not cooperating with the investigation.

The Premier League’s disciplinary rules, found in Section W of its Handbook, outline various sanctions that an independent body can impose.

Here are some possible punishments City could face:

Points Deduction
One major possible punishment is taking away points from Manchester City.

The Premier League has previously given points deductions for breaking financial rules. For example, Everton had a 10-point deduction reduced to six after appealing a breach of the league’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

There is no clear points penalty set for Manchester City, so any deduction would depend on how the commission assesses the violations and any factors that could lessen the penalty.

The rules also let the commission deduct points already earned or those to be earned, meaning the punishment could happen in the current season.

Fine
The commission can impose a fine with no upper limit, meaning there is no maximum amount. Right now, it is unclear what financial punishment City might face.

Suspension from Matches
Another possible punishment is suspending the club from playing Premier League matches.

According to the league’s rules, an independent commission can suspend a club for a period it sees fit.

This would directly impact City's ability to play, but there is no sign that the commission plans to do this.

Player-registration Restrictions
The rules also allow the cancellation or denial of a player’s registration in certain situations.

Restrictions on player registrations are among the potential sanctions available, but there is no indication that City will face this penalty.

Compensation
The commission can order City to pay compensation, with no stated limit on how much they can be required to pay.

Stripping of Titles
One of the biggest questions is whether Manchester City could lose Premier League titles won during the time covered by the charges.

Stripping titles is not specifically listed among the sanctions. However, the Premier League’s rules give the commission broad power to impose penalties or any other penalty it sees fit.

The possibility of losing past titles is also linked to the rules that allow points already earned to be deducted.

City won three Premier League titles during the period in question: 2011/12, 2013/14, and 2017/18. There is no record of the Premier League taking away a title for financial rule violations, so it remains unclear if this could happen.

There is one European example of title stripping. Juventus lost two Serie A titles due to punishments from the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, which involved match-fixing and referee corruption, not financial violations.

Expulsion from the Premier League
The most serious punishment available is expelling a club from the league. There is no domestic case that sets a precedent for this kind of financial situation. The rules let the independent commission suggest that the league remove a club.

City has faced this before at the European level. UEFA banned them from the Champions League for two seasons in February 2020 over Financial Fair Play violations. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned that ban in July, leaving City with a reduced fine instead.

What Happens Next?
The guilty verdict does not mean Manchester City will automatically lose points or be expelled from the Premier League.

The commission still needs to decide on the appropriate punishments. City can challenge the decision using the Premier League’s appeal process.

The league’s rules allow a party to dispute a commission decision through an Appeal Board. This board can choose to allow or reject an appeal or change the commission’s order.