Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has told supporters that “nothing has changed” in the club’s position on the Premier League’s long-running financial-rules case, insisting City remain confident of proving their innocence despite reports that an independent commission found the club liable on 114 of 115 alleged breaches.
In a letter published by the club, Al Mubarak said: “The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began.” He added that City could not provide further detail because significant elements of the process remain subject to strict confidentiality.
City were charged by the Premier League in February 2023. The independent commission then held a 12-week hearing between September and December 2024. In August, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters acknowledged that the decision had taken longer than expected, while stressing that the league could not control the independent process or comment on its timing.
The latest reporting has changed the context of City’s public stance. Although neither the Premier League nor the commission has published the full decision or its reasoning, multiple outlets reported on 25 September that City had been found liable on all but one of the 115 charges. No sanction has yet been announced, and City are widely expected to appeal.
Al Mubarak’s statement did not address the substance of any individual allegation. Instead, it focused on solidarity with supporters and the club’s belief that its legal position remains strong. He wrote that City and their fans had “faced challenges together before and have prevailed,” casting the coming legal stages as another test of institutional resolve.
The next steps are likely to center on three issues: any sanctions imposed by the commission, the release of fuller reasons for the reported findings, and the appeals process. Until those stages are complete, the eventual sporting and financial consequences for City remain uncertain.
