Man City confirms appeal after guilty verdict over Premier League rules

Manchester City have confirmed they have lodged an appeal after being found guilty over breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. The verdict covered charges relating to the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons.

In a club statement, City said the ruling contains “clear material errors of law, principle and fact” and that it is “unsafe”. The club maintains its innocence and says it has filed “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” supporting its position.

Timetable for the appeal

The appeal will now be heard in private by a new, three-person independent panel. Under the Premier League rules, the hearing should finish within 12 weeks, with a decision communicated within 30 days of that—though the timeframe can be extended.

BBC Sport reports City are expected to argue that key sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government rather than by the club’s owners. The independent commission’s findings included that City arranged “sham contracts” as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding worth more than £830m. The Football Association said the verdict has “significant implications for the integrity of the game”.