Manchester City
What sanctions could follow the Premier League verdict on City?
City’s verdict has raised huge questions. The Premier League now faces unusual choices on punishment.
The verdict has landed, and the Premier League is now facing one of the most awkward disciplinary questions in its history. A 40-page report from the independent commission has confirmed the scale of the deceit, leaving the competition with a problem that goes far beyond routine punishment. The case is not closed either, with City set to appeal before Friday, Oct. 2, a move they intend to make.
So the issue becomes less about what has happened and more about what should happen next. The league handbook offers familiar options, from fines to expulsion, while also leaving room for “such other penalty as it shall think fit.” That final phrase gives the governing body a wide field of possibilities, and the scale of the case makes ordinary treatment feel inadequate.
One obvious reference point is Nottingham Forest, who were deducted four points in March 2024 for a single financial breach. Using that as a benchmark, the arithmetic becomes extreme: 114 breaches multiplied by four points produces 456 points. Spread across eight seasons, that would leave City starting each top-flight campaign on –57 points. It is, at the very least, a punishment that would satisfy Derby County fans.
There are other imaginative routes too. One is to block all transfers until 2043, by which time the cost of a backup fullback would presumably be absurd. Another is to reopen every title, European place or relegation battle that might have been altered, with affected teams replaying their matches against City using the same lineups as the original day.
The idea could even be pushed further by restoring the squad to its pre-era state, replacing Erling Haaland with 45-year-old Elano for the 2026-27 season. A one-off draft in which the rest of the league picks from City’s current squad would also create immense interest, especially from those at the bottom of the table.
Whatever follows, this is not a normal disciplinary case. The league now has to decide whether standard punishment is enough, or whether the verdict demands something far more creative.
Manchester City
Premier League clubs weigh harsh sanctions as City case moves toward verdict
Rival clubs are divided over what punishment Manchester City should face after the latest findings.
Premier League rivals are said to be split over what punishment should follow the findings against Manchester City, with opinions ranging from a severe sporting sanction to a ruling that would still allow the club to remain in the division.
City could lose the three titles won during the period under scrutiny, from 2009 to 2018, although any punishment is expected to shape the present or future rather than rewrite the past. The matter now rests with an independent panel, while City prepare an appeal.
According to The Guardian, after discussions with executives from rival clubs, there is a strong push for a penalty heavy enough to keep City out of the top flight for the foreseeable future. A straight relegation is not available in the normal sense, as the English Football League is a separate body and would not be bound to accept anything beyond the three clubs traditionally sent down. Even so, a significant points deduction could leave City anchored near the bottom of the table.
Those quoted in the report do not want a sanction that feels temporary. Their concern is that a one-season absence would simply allow City to return and continue as before. One executive said: “Relegation to the Championship for one season would be insufficient,” one executive is quoted as saying. “The commission has to arrive at a punishment that is proportionate for years of sustained and deliberate cheating, as well as providing a strong deterrent to it happening again.”
The panel does have the power to remove City from the top flight altogether. Yet Sky Sports News reported that two senior executives from unnamed Premier League clubs would be “staggered” and “amazed” if enough clubs truly backed expulsion.
Commercial concerns are central to that reluctance. City remain one of the league’s biggest attractions, and their removal would create problems for scheduling and television rights. Fewer fixtures would mean reduced broadcast value, with possible refunds affecting money distributed across the division. “If Man City were expelled, that would have massive commercial consequences for everyone in the league, and ultimately it would cost the other clubs an awful lot of money,” one executive said.
The Independent Football Regulator, introduced in September 2025, is also watching closely. Its chair, David Kogan, said: “The independent commission’s decision raises serious issues,” Kogan said. “The IFR has powers to assess the suitability of owners, directors and executives and we will use these powers where appropriate, in the interests of protecting the sustainability, honesty and integrity of English football where there is clear evidence of wrongdoing by individuals.
“This includes taking account of findings made by the Leagues. However, as the proceedings remain ongoing between Manchester City and the Premier League we will await further developments.
“We hope it can be resolved quickly for the sake of fans. For now, we have no further comment.”
Manchester City
Klopp Revises View on Manchester City Title Case
Klopp has softened his view on City’s charges, while the Premier League sanction debate remains open.
Jürgen Klopp has stepped back from his earlier stance on Manchester City’s Premier League charges, saying he is “not really interested” in the idea of the club being stripped of titles.
The former Liverpool manager had previously joked in January 2025 that he would host a private parade in Mallorca, Spain, if City’s titles were taken away. His latest comments, however, show a more measured position.
“I haven’t given it much thought,” the current boss of the Germany national team said. “I also know that I said that if there’s ever a parade, I’d come. I can only wait and see.
“I have big respect for Pep Guardiola and City’s style of football. They played fantastic football and were a top-class opponent for us. If any sanctions are handed out, I have nothing to do with it. I’ll wait and see.
“I don’t really have any strong feelings about it. It’s not like I need to have won the English title a few more times. I’m far from preparing for a title or anything like that. I’m absolutely fine with what we achieved in Liverpool. We fought hard on the pitch.
“I can’t say more about that because I don’t know the details. To be honest, I’m also not really interested in it.”
The Premier League’s rules do include a broad range of possible sanctions for clubs found guilty of breaches. Financial punishments and point deductions are standard tools in the modern game, while the regulations also conclude with the option of “such other penalty as it shall think fit.”
That wording leaves the league with the power to remove titles if it chooses, although whether that would happen is another matter entirely. When the guilty verdict against City first became public, reporting suggested any punishment would likely not be retrospective. BBC Sport also said there was “little appetite” from the league or rival clubs for titles to be stripped.
If the issue ever moved further, the debate would centre on which honours could be affected. City’s punished period runs from 2009 to 2018, when they won three Premier League titles: 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18.
Manchester City
Klopp Eases His Stance on Manchester City Title Stripping
Klopp has stepped back from earlier remarks as City’s title case remains under Premier League scrutiny.
Jürgen Klopp has tempered his view on the possibility of Manchester City losing Premier League titles, saying he is “not really interested” in seeing that outcome play out.
The former Liverpool manager had previously joked in January 2025 that he would welcome everyone to a private parade in Mallorca, Spain, if City’s titles were ever removed. His latest comments point in a very different direction.
“I haven’t given it much thought,” the current boss of the Germany national team said. “I also know that I said that if there’s ever a parade, I’d come. I can only wait and see.
“I have big respect for Pep Guardiola and City’s style of football. They played fantastic football and were a top-class opponent for us. If any sanctions are handed out, I have nothing to do with it. I’ll wait and see.
“I don’t really have any strong feelings about it. It’s not like I need to have won the English title a few more times. I’m far from preparing for a title or anything like that. I’m absolutely fine with what we achieved in Liverpool. We fought hard on the pitch.
“I can’t say more about that because I don’t know the details. To be honest, I’m also not really interested in it.”
The Premier League’s disciplinary framework allows for a range of punishments if rules are found to have been broken. Financial penalties and points deductions are part of that structure, while the regulations also leave room for “such other penalty as it shall think fit.”
That gives the league the authority to strip City of titles if it chose to do so, although that remains only one possible outcome. When the guilty verdict against City first surfaced, reports suggested any punishment would likely not be retrospective. BBC Sport also noted there was “little appetite” from the league or rival clubs to remove the club’s trophies.
If the issue ever reached that stage, the debate would focus on which honours could be affected. City have been punished for actions between 2009 and 2018, a period in which they won three Premier League titles: in 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18.
