April 10, (THEWILL) – The verdict in Manchester City’s ongoing legal battle with the English Premier League regarding alleged financial rule breaches will not be announced until after the current 2024/2025 season concludes.
The defending champions, charged with 130 breaches of competition regulations in February 2023, have been awaiting a decision since legal proceedings ended last December.
City manager Pep Guardiola previously indicated in February 2025 that a verdict would arrive within “one month,” but April has begun with no announcement forthcoming.
Reports suggest supporters and rival clubs might face “quite a wait” before learning the outcome of what many have termed the “Trial of the Century” in football governance.
The allegations span from 2009 to 2023, a period during which City claimed seven EPL titles, four FA Cups and their first UEFA Champions League trophy.
While some charges involve claims of obstructing investigations, the most serious accusations relate to alleged false accounting by the Abu Dhabi-owned club—all charges which City strongly deny.
Similar accusations previously led UEFA to impose a two-year European competition ban on City in February 2020, a punishment later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport when certain breaches were deemed ‘time-barred’ under UEFA regulations.
The EPL case differs significantly because its financial rules contain no such time restrictions, meaning potential punishments could range from substantial fines to multiple relegations.
City currently maintain a separate legal dispute with the EPL concerning sponsorship regulations, where they have already won a partial victory.
While the club remains confident of forcing comprehensive rule changes in that matter, the outcome of their larger battle over the 130 alleged financial breaches remains uncertain with months potentially remaining before a final judgment.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
