Sports · Football · 3 hrs ago
Football regulator says it can force Manchester City owners to sell
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of breaching Premier League rules over its finances.
It said the club used commercial arrangements to inflate revenues or cut costs by more than £900m over nine seasons.
City have appealed the verdict, saying it contains serious errors.
Independent Football Regulator chair David Kogan said the watchdog can force an owner to sell if it finds a club was run improperly.
The regulator has not decided whether to investigate City, and Kogan said it would be premature to decide what action to take while the appeal is ongoing.
The UK’s Financial Reporting Council is also making preliminary enquiries into the accounting findings, but it has not opened a formal investigation.
The UK Financial Reporting Council has begun preliminary inquiries into accounting issues at Manchester City, but has not opened a formal investigation.
The FRC took over regulatory consideration of the case on 30 September.
An independent commission found that City breached Premier League financial rules and used commercial arrangements that inflated revenues or reduced costs by more than £900 million over nine seasons.
City has appealed, saying the verdict contains material errors and is unsafe.
The Independent Football Regulator’s chair said it could force the club’s owners to sell if they were ultimately found to have run the club improperly.
- Who
- The Financial Reporting Council is examining the case involving Manchester City. The club has appealed the independent commission’s verdict.
- What
- The FRC is making preliminary inquiries into possible accounting irregularities. No formal investigation has started.
- When
- The FRC took over regulatory consideration on 30 September. The developments were reported on 20 October 2026.
- Where
- The case concerns Manchester City in the UK.
- Why
- The FRC is examining the independent commission’s findings about the club’s finances and accounting. It is assessing whether there are grounds for a formal investigation.
Manchester City
Independent commission
Findings
Manchester City
The commission found City guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules, including using “sham” commercial arrangements to inflate revenues or reduce costs.
Independent commission
City says the verdict contains material errors of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.
Investigation
Manchester City
The commission found City made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League’s investigation.
Independent commission
City has appealed the commission’s verdict.
The period covered by the financial-regulation charges against Manchester City.
The FRC took over regulatory consideration of the case from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
The FRC confirmed it was making inquiries, while City’s appeal against the commission’s verdict remained pending.
- Regulator
- Financial Reporting Council (FRC)
- Status
- Preliminary inquiries; no formal investigation has started
- Regulatory consideration transferred
- 30 September
- Commission’s finding
- More than £900 million in revenues inflated or costs reduced over nine seasons
- Appeal
- Manchester City has appealed the verdict
4 sources
What people are saying
We’ve got absolute power to do so.
We have the power to ask an owner to step away from a club if we believe that they run a club in a way that is neither fit, fair or done with propriety
The regulator's letter exposes gaps in its ability to compel evidence from the club and pursue directors who fall outside its disciplinary rules.
material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe