Manchester City chief claims 'conspiracy' as UAE-owned club found guilty of financial violations charges

Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 09/29/2026 - 20:29 The football club now has until Friday to appeal the independent commission's findings

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is pictured during the Fifa Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 football match between his team and Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal, at the Camping World stadium in Orlando, Florida, on 30 June 2025 (Patricia De Melo/AFP) Off

An independent commission on Tuesday revealed that Manchester City Football Club has been found guilty on all 115 charges related to financial rules violations since 2009.

The club engaged in "sham" commercial contracts to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than $1bn, the findings showed.

"The Club’s financial statements had not been prepared and audited in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory principles," the commission wrote.

It was "reckless" and "acted other than with utmost good faith", it added.

In a video sent to staff and players and obtained by Sky Sports News, City's chief executive, Ferran Soriano, called the investigation a "Premier League conspiracy theory".

The Premier League charged City in 2023 after an investigation into alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018.

It was accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, as well as breaches of financial sustainability rules.

“This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in [our] history," the Premier League said in a statement on Tuesday.

"[It] vindicates the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the League has remained determined that the facts be established independently," the statement added.

"It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and for the fans. We take that role extremely seriously."

While the sanctions are yet to be decided, City is looking at a points deduction serious enough to relegate the team to a lower league division as well as significant fines.

Leaked documents

The club is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and vice president of the UAE, who bought the club in September 2008 for $265m.

Under Sheikh Mansour's ownership, City has become the dominant force in English football.

Manchester United co-owner slammed for claiming UK 'colonised' by migrants Read More »

It has won eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups, seven League Cups, and one Champions League in the past 15 years.

Investigations into City’s financial breaches began after German outlet Der Spiegel published leaked documents in 2018.

Emails purportedly exchanged between top City executives showed the club had inflated sponsorship revenue from Abu Dhabi state-controlled airline Etihad and telecoms firm Etisalat by disguising direct investment from Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group as income.

ADUG is a prominent investor in urban regeneration.

During his tenure as Manchester mayor, current UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham praised City’s owners and the funding they put into the east of the city.

Burnham held his first phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mansour’s brother, in late July, as he seeks to broaden the UK’s investment appeal to wealthy allies like the UAE.

Sport News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0