Manchester City have been found guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission.The Premier League says the club arranged what the commission described as “sham” contracts with several commercial partners between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons.

According to the commission, the arrangements formed part of a disguised funding scheme that artificially inflated Manchester City’s revenues by about £830 million.

The commission also found that the club filed accounts that concealed the true state of its finances and significantly breached both Premier League and UEFA spending limits.

It further ruled that City failed to cooperate and act in good faith with the Premier League during the investigation.The club was found guilty of three out of four alleged breaches, while one charge was not proven.

Manchester City have rejected the findings and confirmed that they will appeal the decision. The club has until October 2 to lodge its appeal.

In a video sent to staff and players, Chief Executive Ferran Soriano described the case as a “Premier League conspiracy theory” and said the club had evidence, including bank statements, money transfers and witness testimony, to show that the disputed funds did not come from the club’s owner.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said the findings established that Manchester City had systematically broken the league’s rules for nearly a decade.The Premier League says sanctions will be considered at a further hearing.

Possible penalties include a points deduction, fine, transfer ban or expulsion from the Premier League.If City are expelled, they would have to apply to the Football Association to rejoin the English football pyramid, with EFL rules stating that a new member would have to begin in League Two.

The commission’s hearing took place between September and December 2024, with the Premier League acknowledging that the process had taken longer than expected.