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Manchester City have said they will contest a Premier League commission’s finding that the club committed 114 breaches of league rules. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak told supporters the club remains confident and intends to appeal, while any formal punishments are still pending.
Al Mubarak: confident but constrained by confidentiality
In a letter to the club’s community, Al Mubarak acknowledged the severity of the ruling but stressed that the Premier League process is far from finished. He said City’s commitment to proving their case has not weakened since the investigation began.
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Al Mubarak also emphasised the limits on what he can share publicly. Because the matter remains subject to strict legal confidentiality, he wrote that many details cannot be disclosed at this stage and that his statement had undergone legal review before publication.
City points back to earlier statements
Manchester City asked readers to review the club’s latest response alongside a statement issued in February 2023, saying both documents reflect the same position. In that earlier release the club described itself as surprised by the alleged breaches and highlighted the extensive materials it had supplied to the Premier League.
The February 2023 statement said City welcomed an independent commission to examine the evidence it considers supportive of the club’s case and expressed a wish for the matter to be resolved. A later club update, labelled September 2026, reiterated that the process remains ongoing and that the club’s stance is unchanged.
What the commission found and what happens next
The inquiry, which lasted more than three years, concluded the club intentionally misreported financial information for the period between 2009 and 2018 and failed to cooperate with investigators. Those findings form the basis of the 114-charge determination handed down by the commission.
City are expected to lodge an appeal against the verdict. League observers say any appeals and the resulting decisions are likely to take considerable time, meaning concrete punishments — if any — may not be announced until the process reaches its conclusion.
Club morale and short-term focus
Al Mubarak sought to steady supporters, noting the team still has major fixtures ahead that he said offer opportunities to unite the club and its fans. He cited upcoming matches — including a trip to Anfield and a Champions League home game against Paris Saint-Germain — as moments to celebrate the Manchester City community.
The chairman’s message echoed comments from current players and staff who have pointed to past successful appeals, notably City’s successful challenge to a UEFA charge in 2020, as part of their confidence in a positive outcome from any further legal process.
Timing and wider impact
Given the complexity of the allegations and the procedural steps available to both sides, the case is expected to remain active for an extended period. Any final rulings or sanctions would carry implications for the club and potentially the wider Premier League, but those consequences will depend on the final outcomes of appeals and legal review.
