Man City faces a verdict delay that has now lasted nearly two years since the Premier League hearing opened on September 16, 2024, with no liability ruling or sanction published as of September 2026.
That delay has kept one of English football’s most consequential cases in limbo. The hearing ended on December 6, 2024, but the independent commission has not issued a public judgment, leaving supporters, rivals and the league without a final sporting outcome.
Man City 115 charges: the timeline in numbers
The case was brought by the Premier League in February 2023, following an earlier investigation into allegations first reported in 2018.
The charges cover the 2009/10 to 2017/18 seasons, so the evidence concerns conduct across almost a decade. The hearing took place privately at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London. It ran from September 16 to December 6, 2024, before an independent three-person commission that retired after the proceedings concluded.
| Data point | Verified position |
|---|---|
| Charges brought | February 2023 |
| Allegation period | 2009/10 to 2017/18 |
| Hearing opened | September 16, 2024 |
| Hearing ended | December 6, 2024 |
| Public verdict | None as of September 2026 |
The scale of the material helps explain why the process has outlasted early expectations. However, the absence of a published decision means no allegation can be treated as proven.
What the charges concern
The Premier League’s case centres on alleged failures to provide accurate financial information, alleged under-reporting of manager and player compensation, and alleged non-cooperation with the investigation. Those allegations remain contested.
The club has denied all wrongdoing throughout the proceedings. It has maintained that its evidence supports its position and that it complied with the relevant financial regulations during the seasons under review. The legal uncertainty has also followed the club into wider football conversation, including coverage around the Man Utd City rivalry. Yet match results, transfer stories and VAR controversies cannot replace a formal ruling on the charges.
Why the verdict delay matters
Pep Guardiola indicated in February 2025, according to the BBC, that the club expected a decision “within a month”. No public judgment had appeared by September 2026, making that expectation one of the clearest markers of how far the timetable has slipped. Mirror was among the outlets reporting on the continuing wait and the case’s status in September 2026, as detailed by Mirror.
The delay does not establish guilt or innocence, but it does prevent the Premier League from closing the regulatory chapter. The legal dispute also remains separate from stories about Erling Haaland and the club’s on-field ambitions, including our coverage of Man City. Similarly, previous debates involving City VAR decisions have no bearing on this commission’s findings.
Ten key points in the state of play
- The case began in February 2023. The Premier League formally brought the charges after an earlier investigation.
- The allegations date back to 2018 reporting. The original scrutiny therefore predates the formal charge sheet by several years.
- The seasons under review run from 2009/10 to 2017/18. The case examines an extended historical period.
- The hearing opened on September 16, 2024. That date marked the start of the private proceedings.
- The hearing finished on December 6, 2024. No further hearing date has been supplied.
- The venue was in London. Proceedings were held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre.
- Three commissioners heard the case. The independent panel retired after the hearing ended.
- The club denies wrongdoing. No charge has been confirmed by a published liability verdict.
- No sanction has been imposed. There has been no confirmed points deduction or relegation.
- Possible penalties remain conditional. Reports have included a significant points deduction or relegation only if liability is established.
The practical consequence is simple: the league’s case remains unresolved, while any punishment remains hypothetical. The next meaningful development will be the commission’s published decision, not another prediction about its timing.
Conclusion
Man City enters September 2026 with the charges still unresolved, nearly two years after the hearing began and nearly two years after it ended. Until the commission publishes its judgment, the correct position is that the allegations remain allegations and no sporting penalty exists. The verdict, not the delay, will finally determine what the 115-charge case means for English football.
FAQs
When did the Premier League bring the charges?
The Premier League brought the charges in February 2023 after an earlier investigation into allegations reported in 2018.
When did the hearing take place?
The hearing ran from September 16, 2024, to December 6, 2024, at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London.
Has a verdict been published?
No public liability verdict had been published as of September 2026.
Has any punishment been imposed?
No sanction has been imposed. A points deduction or relegation has only been discussed as a possible outcome if the club is found liable.
What is the club’s position?
The club has denied all wrongdoing throughout the process.
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