Few things in football stir as much debate as the wait for Manchester City’s FFP verdict, with the case remaining unresolved more than two years after the Premier League charged the club with 115 breaches. This article tracks the timeline, likely punishments, and what the delay means for the league.

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Number of charges: 115 ·
Date charges filed: February 2023 ·
Hearing concluded: December 2024 ·
Verdict as of: April 2026 (pending) ·
Possible punishment range: Fine to expulsion

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • The hearing concluded in December 2024 (ESPN)
  • 115 charges were filed in February 2023 (ESPN) (ESPN)
  • Manchester City denies all charges (ESPN) (ESPN)
2What’s unclear
  • When the verdict will be delivered
  • Whether City will be found guilty
  • Exact punishment if guilty
  • Length of potential appeals
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Verdict from independent commission
  • Possible appeal by either side
  • Premier League meeting to enforce sanctions if guilty

The six key facts below show the scale of the case and the stakes involved.

Label Value
Number of charges 115
Year charged 2023
Hearing concluded December 2024
Verdict awaited As of April 2026
Maximum possible points deduction Unlimited under rules
Title stripping possibility Yes

Is Man City going to get punished?

What the evidence suggests

  • The Premier League brought 115 charges after a four‑year investigation, alleging breaches from 2009 to 2018 (ESPN).
  • Manchester City denies all accusations (ESPN).
  • The independent commission heard arguments between September and December 2024 (ESPN).

Possible sanctions range from fine to expulsion

  • Premier League rules allow a range of sanctions, including unlimited points deduction, title stripping, transfer bans, and even expulsion (Premier League (competition organiser)).
  • Previous cases (e.g., Juventus) show that systemic breaches can lead to points deduction and title removal.
Bottom line: Manchester City faces a real chance of punishment, but the verdict is not yet known. For City fans: brace for a potentially severe outcome. For rival clubs: prepare for a lengthy appeals process that could push final resolution into 2028.

The wait continues to test the patience of fans and clubs alike.

What’s happening with the City’s 115 charges?

Latest developments in the case

  • The hearing ran for 10 weeks from September to December 2024 at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London (ESPN).
  • As of April 2026, no verdict has been announced (YouTube update).
  • Pep Guardiola said in February 2025 that the verdict would come “in one month” – a prediction that did not materialise (ESPN).

The independent commission process

  • The commission operates in private, with no mandated timeline for issuing its judgment (ESPN).
  • Legal sources suggest the sheer volume of evidence is the main cause of delay (YouTube update).

The implication: secrecy and complexity are stretching the process far beyond initial expectations. Every month without a verdict increases uncertainty for the Premier League and its broadcast partners.

Why is the Man City verdict taking so long?

Complexity of the case

  • The charges cover nine years of alleged financial misconduct, including false accounting and off‑books payments (ESPN).
  • The actual number of breaches may reportedly be 130 rather than 115, due to overlapping rule violations (ESPN).
  • The commission must evaluate thousands of documents, emails, and financial records.

Legal procedures and appeals

  • The process requires the commission to produce a detailed written judgment, which takes time.
  • After the verdict, either side may appeal to the independent Appeal Board – a process that could take another 15–17 months (YouTube update).
  • No publicly announced deadline for the verdict exists (YouTube update).
What to watch

The delay favours City tactically: they can continue transfer planning while the case hangs over the league. For the Premier League, the longer this drags, the more the integrity of its competition is questioned.

The pattern is clear: the longer the silence, the greater the erosion of trust in the process.

What will happen if Man City is found guilty?

Points deduction scenario

  • Premier League rules allow unlimited points deduction for serious breaches (Premier League).
  • A large deduction could drop City out of European places or even relegate them – depending on the scale.

Title stripping possibility

  • If the commission finds that City’s titles were won with unfair advantage, it could strip trophies – possibly including multiple Premier Leagues (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
  • Other clubs, such as Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea, could be awarded titles retroactively.

Impact on other clubs

  • Clubs who finished behind City in title races would have strong claims to be named champions.
  • The Premier League may face compensation claims from clubs who missed Europe due to City’s presence.

Why this matters: a guilty verdict reshapes the entire decade of English football. Rival clubs have already lodged public demands for swift justice, and any delay in punishment after a guilty verdict would fuel further controversy.

Where is the Manchester City judgment?

Since the hearing ended

  • The independent commission’s hearing concluded in December 2024 – over 16 months ago as of April 2026 (ESPN).
  • No official statement has been issued by the Premier League or the commission.
  • Legal experts have outlined eight possible scenarios for the verdict’s timing (YouTube update).

Expected timeline for verdict

  • No fixed date has been set. Some believe the commission is writing a judgment that could run hundreds of pages.
  • Appeals, if any, could extend the final outcome to 2028.
The upshot

Manchester City’s domestic dominance is under a cloud of uncertainty that could last another two years if appeals follow. For the Premier League, the gap between accusation and resolution erodes the very financial rules the case is meant to enforce.

The stakes grow higher with each passing month without resolution.

Timeline of the case

The key events in the Manchester City case are laid out below.

Date Event
February 2023 Premier League charges Manchester City with 115 breaches (ESPN)
September 2024 Hearing begins before independent commission (ESPN)
December 2024 12‑week hearing concludes (ESPN)
April 2026 Verdict still pending; latest updates from legal sources (YouTube update)

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Hearing concluded December 2024
  • Charges filed February 2023
  • 115 charges in total

What’s unclear

  • When verdict will be delivered
  • Whether City will be found guilty
  • Exact punishment if guilty
  • Length of potential appeals

Voices from the case

“The sheer volume of evidence means a verdict could take many more months.”

— Anonymous legal source, as reported by ESPN

“The verdict will come in one month.”

— Pep Guardiola, February 2025 (ESPN)

For the Premier League and its clubs, the uncertainty is damaging: either clear the charges to restore faith in the competition’s integrity, or impose sanctions that could reshape English football’s hierarchy. The longer the wait, the stronger the case for independent oversight of financial rule enforcement.

Fans wondering when the verdict will arrive can find a full breakdown of the 115 charges timeline.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the 115 charges about?

The charges allege that Manchester City breached Premier League financial rules over a nine‑year period, including false accounting and failure to cooperate with investigations (Premier League).

How many charges are financial versus other types?

Most charges relate to providing inaccurate financial information, but a portion also covers alleged non‑cooperation with the Premier League’s investigation.

Has Man City been punished before for FFP?

In 2014, City was fined £49 million by UEFA for breaching Financial Fair Play, but that was a separate case. The current case is far more serious.

What is FFP?

Financial Fair Play (FFP) refers to rules that limit how much clubs can spend relative to revenue. The Premier League uses its own Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) – the framework at the centre of the City case.

Can Man City appeal a guilty verdict?

Yes, either side can appeal to the independent Appeal Board. That process could add 15–17 months to the timeline (YouTube update).

What happens if City are found not guilty?

The case would be closed, and City would have been cleared of all charges. The Premier League would likely face criticism for the length and cost of the investigation.

Will the verdict affect the current season?

If delivered during the season, a guilty verdict could lead to an immediate points deduction, significantly affecting the title race and relegation battle.

How long could appeals take?

If both sides appeal, the final resolution could stretch into 2028. Each appeal stage typically takes several months.