Manchester City has received a warning that a record-breaking points deduction would be considered “logical” if the club is found guilty in its long-running 115-charge Financial Fair Play case.
The Premier League has accused Manchester City of committing at least 115 breaches of financial rules, with allegations dating back several years. These claims surfaced prominently in early 2023, and the club has consistently and strongly denied all of them.
This has triggered an extended independent legal process, with a hearing wrapping up in late 2024 (specifically the second week of December). No verdict has been announced yet—now over 14 months later—and Manchester City supporters are anxiously waiting for an outcome that could dramatically affect the club’s trajectory.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire, speaking on The Overlap, highlighted the potential severity of any punishment if guilt is established. He suggested a deduction as high as 60 points could be on the cards, describing it as a realistic figure for consistency with prior cases.
Maguire explained the delay in reaching a decision, noting an estimated half a million pieces of evidence submitted by both sides during the proceedings. He compared it to complex fraud cases and pointed out logistical challenges in coordinating three senior panel members for the final judgment. He believes the process is now nearing its conclusion, with a ruling likely in the coming months, though he didn’t rule out a dramatic announcement near the end of the season or even around major events like the World Cup.
Addressing possible sanctions, Maguire noted the sheer volume of charges (well over 115 in total) and scenarios like partial findings (e.g., 70-50 split). He said non-cooperation could lead to a hefty fine (as seen in UEFA cases), but a points deduction would represent a major win for the Premier League.
While some have speculated about expulsion from the Premier League or demotion to lower tiers like League One or Two, Maguire clarified that’s not feasible—the Premier League lacks authority to relegate City to the EFL without proven EFL charges. Thus, any punishment would take the form of a points deduction.
He drew comparisons to recent precedents: Everton and Nottingham Forest received 6- and 4-point deductions for single offenses over shorter periods (around three years). City’s alleged breaches span nine years and involve far greater scope and scale. To maintain consistency, Maguire argued, the penalty would need to be scaled up significantly—potentially by a factor of ten—leading to a deduction in the 40- to 60-point range as the most logical outcome based on merit and prior rulings. This could relegate City to the Championship for the following season if applied harshly.
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