An English football regulator says it has “absolute power” to force Manchester City’s owners to sell the club if a guilty verdict over Premier League financial rule breaches is ultimately upheld. The statement comes after a commission found City circumvented Premier League rules and used “sham” commercial arrangements, with reported impact of over £900m across nine seasons.
City have appealed the findings and deny wrongdoing. Outlets also describe a potential mechanism in which the regulator could ask an owner to step away, and in at least some coverage this is framed as non-optional if the regulator believes the club is not being run “fit, fair” and “properly.” The underlying dispute is whether the sanction power is triggered by final outcomes following appeal.
Coverage differs mainly in what context is added around ownership and wider political issues. One report includes background on the club’s Abu Dhabi ownership and discusses UK government and political scrutiny around the possibility of the owners leaving, while other outlets focus more narrowly on the regulator’s stated powers. All accounts emphasise the regulator’s leverage should the verdict stand and that City has appealed.
