Football Regulator Hints at Owner Removal for Man City Amidst Financial Breach Verdict

The chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has suggested that Manchester City's owners could be removed from English football after the club was found guilty of numerous charges related to financial wrongdoing by the Premier League.

The official verdict, released on Tuesday, indicated that Manchester City had misrepresented club finances by nearly £900 million over a nine-year period through funds artificially provided by their Abu Dhabi owners. The Independent Football Regulator, established last year, is now positioned to play a role in the potential sanctions.

Under the Football Governance Act 2025, the IFR possesses the authority to assess the suitability of club owners, directors, and executives. This power can be exercised to remove owners or suspend or revoke licenses if the identified wrongdoing is deemed sufficiently serious. IFR chair David Kogan stated that the independent commission's decision raises significant issues and that the regulator will utilize its powers where appropriate to protect the integrity and sustainability of English football when clear evidence of wrongdoing by individuals emerges.

The Premier League confirmed that Manchester City were found guilty of "all charges related to serious breaches" of the league's financial regulations. In a statement, the Premier League detailed that the club arranged "sham contracts" with commercial partners to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs. These arrangements, along with other "sham" deals funded by the Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), allegedly misrepresented the club's financial standing by £900 million, allowing them to potentially spend more under Premier League rules.

The league also stated that the club filed misstated accounts and concealed its true financial condition from auditors and regulators. The breaches occurred between 2009 and 2018, a period during which Manchester City won eight major trophies. The Premier League asserted that accurate financial reporting would have shown the club to be in significant breach of both Premier League and UEFA spending limits.

Furthermore, the independent panel found that Manchester City breached its duties of cooperation and good faith by failing to assist the Premier League's four-year investigation, which was initiated following the acquisition of club emails. The club reportedly made concerted efforts to obstruct the investigation.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters commented that the decision establishes the facts of the club's systematic breaches of rules over nearly a decade and vindicates the league's decision to pursue the case. He emphasized the Premier League's responsibility to uphold its rules to protect the competition's integrity, fairness, and competitiveness for clubs and fans.

In response, Manchester City issued a statement expressing "disappointment and surprise" and referring to the "opinion of the Premier League Commission." The club declared its innocence of the accusations and stated that comprehensive evidence supports its positions. Manchester City indicated it would pursue appeal avenues, citing "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact" in the opinion. The club also stated its diligence in respecting due process over eight years and alleged that the Premier League Board and Executive had not acted as an independent, impartial regulator.

Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the owner of Manchester City through ADUG, could potentially face removal from English football if the IFR deems the breaches serious enough. The club has until Friday to lodge an appeal against the Premier League's decision.