Man City’s 115 FFP fees explained as Premier League wait continues

Manchester City supporters continue to await hearing into 115 alleged breaches of financial fair play.

The historic breaches of the rules date from 2009 to 2018, when the Blues won the Premier League three times, as well as numerous League Cups and FA Cups. The scale of the allegations against City are unprecedented and have led to frustration among rival supporters.

Some, such as Nottingham Forest and Everton, have argued that their clubs should face no punishment until City’s case is resolved. Meanwhile, the Blues’ rivals at the top of the division claim City have held an “unfair advantage” and are therefore making a mockery of the Premier League.

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Amidst all this background noise, City have continued to do their thing and are on course to create history by becoming the first English club to win the top flight on four consecutive occasions. With FFP charges still hanging over them, MEN Sports took a look at the most frequently asked questions about the case and explained what you need to know.

What are the fees?

We’ve compiled a full list of the charges facing City here. However, here is a quick summary of exactly what the 115 charges refer to:

• 54 charges relate to failure to provide accurate financial information between 2009/10 and 2017/18
• 14 charges relate to failing to provide accurate information on player and manager payments between 2009/10 and 2017/18
• Five charges relate to breaches of UEFA rules, including FFP, between 2013/14 and 2017/18
• Seven charges relate to breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules between 2015/16 and 2017/18
• 35 charges relate to failure to comply with Premier League investigations between December 2018 and February 2023

Some of these allegations are self-explanatory. But notable points of contention were highlighted in a Der Spiegel report.

It was alleged that City were bringing money into the club through fictitious sponsorship packages, paying then manager Roberto Mancini to act as a consultant to an Abu Dhabi club and giving players more money than was going through their accounts. All these allegations have been strongly denied by the club.

When could City be punished?

That question is on everyone’s lips in the Premier League. MEN Sports understands the Blues could know the outcome of the allegations by the summer of 2025.

By then, we would not only have finished this season, but the next season as well. This means the penalty will apply to the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Why does it take so long?

The frustration over how long this is taking is one Premier League CEO Richard Masters has to answer for himself. However, his response was to claim that due to the complexity of the case against the Blues, more was needed to set a date for the hearing.

Masters recently said the hearing would take place “in the near future,” but did not specify an exact date.

Why were no points deducted for City?

The answer to this is twofold. First, no points can be deducted from the city until their case has been heard and all evidence has been presented.

Secondly, as Masters explained when he appeared before the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) committee earlier this year, the allegations against the Blues are not comparable to Forest and Everton. “I can (understand), but they are very different charges,” he said.

“If any club, current champions or otherwise, were found to be in breach of spending rules, they would be in exactly the same position as Everton or Nottingham Forest. But the volume and nature of the allegations against Manchester City, which I obviously cannot speak at all, are being heard in a completely different environment.”

What are the punishments that City can receive?

Due to the unprecedented nature of these charges, there is simply no telling how severe the punishment for City could be if they are found guilty. Given that Everton were awarded eight points for minor offences, a points deduction is expected to be astronomical.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire predicted last year it could be as high as 30 points. Some have also talked about immediate expulsion from the Premier League.

An unlikely punishment would be a substantial fine given City’s wealth.

Can City appeal?

Either City or the Premier League could appeal the hearing’s decision. However, either party should make their case for an appeal to prevent any further delay in the process.

What did Guardiola say?

Unsurprisingly, Pep Guardiola was keen to focus on matters on the pitch rather than off it. He famously claimed that he would be more likely to stay at the Etihad Stadium if the club were relegated to League Two or the National League, a scary prospect for lower league clubs.

He also asked City not to be labeled guilty ahead of the hearing and insisted he trusts the club when they say they are innocent.