Manchester City has formally lodged a "comprehensive" appeal against the Premier League's independent commission ruling that found the club guilty of serious financial rule breaches. The appeal was filed on Thursday evening, just ahead of Friday's deadline, the club confirmed.
In a brief statement, City reiterated its long-standing position: "The club's firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe." The club added that it is "innocent of the accusations" and that a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" supports its case.
The appeal follows the publication on Tuesday of a verdict that found the Abu Dhabi-controlled club guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules between 2009 and 2018. The case, which dates back to 2018, has been one of the most closely watched in English football.
What happens next
According to the Premier League handbook, the chair of the three-person disciplinary commission that ruled against City must now appoint a new appeal board. That board will consist of three people, one of whom must have held judicial office. The appeal hearing is scheduled to conclude within 12 weeks of the appeal being filed and cannot last more than five consecutive days.
City has not yet received a punishment for the violations. That will be determined in a separate, confidential hearing with the commission, and it remains unclear whether sanctions could be imposed before the appeal is resolved. The Premier League has only said it intends to conclude the process "as soon as possible."
Potential sanctions range from a reprimand and a fine to a points deduction or, in the worst case, expulsion from the league. No club has ever been expelled from English football's top flight.
The case stems from an investigation that found City artificially inflated its revenue by more than $1 billion (€975 million) from 2009 to 2018, using what the league described as "sham" commercial deals. These practices were designed to circumvent financial fair-play rules that restricted rival clubs, allowing City to invest heavily in top players and dominate the league.
That period of success transformed the landscape of English football, with City winning eight league titles from 2012 to 2024. The club's legal team has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and the appeal is expected to be a lengthy and complex process.
For more on the original ruling, see our earlier coverage of Manchester City's guilty verdict. The appeal will be watched closely across Europe, as it could set a precedent for how financial regulations are enforced in football.
