Strategy · 7 min read
Man City 115 Charges Verdict: Points Deduction & FPL
Man City were found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules. What the verdict says, when a sanction could land, and what it means for your FPL team.
The quick take
- City were found guilty on 29 September 2026; no sanction has been set yet and City have appealed.
- A points deduction changes the Premier League table, not anyone's FPL score.
- Nothing changes for City's FPL assets this gameweek: same fixtures, same minutes, same scoring.
Manchester City have been found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules. The Premier League published the independent commission's decision on Tuesday 29 September 2026: guilty of every financial charge across nine seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18, and of three of the four alleged breaches of the duty to co-operate with the investigation. Media count that as 114 of the 115 charges. No punishment has been decided yet, City have appealed, and they sit top of the table on 15 points from five wins. For FPL managers, the short answer is that nothing changes this week.
This page sticks to what has been confirmed by the Premier League and reported by major outlets. Where something is a report rather than a decision, it says so.
What the commission found
The charges were brought in February 2023 and heard in private over roughly 42 days between September and December 2024. The published core decision, a redacted 40-page document, found that:
- City used what the commission called "sham" commercial contracts in a disguised funding scheme. Over the period, revenue was inflated and costs reduced by more than £900m.
- About £830m of money presented as sponsorship came from the club's owner, Abu Dhabi United Group, rather than from the sponsors themselves.
- The club "clearly intended to circumvent the PL Rules" and made "concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the PL investigation", in the league's words.
The full appendices, which hold most of the reasoning, have not been published yet. Until they are, it is not public which co-operation charge was not upheld.
City said they were "disappointed and surprised" and maintain they are innocent. They are expected to argue on appeal that the money came from the Abu Dhabi government rather than the owner, an argument the commission has already rejected once.
What happens next: sanction and appeal
Sanction. The punishment is set at a separate private hearing before the same commission. The Premier League proposes a sanction, City respond, and the commission decides; other clubs take no part. The rules allow anything from a reprimand or fine up to a points deduction or expulsion. As of 8 October no hearing date has been announced, and nothing has been imposed: no deduction, no fine, no transfer restriction.
Appeal. City lodged their appeal at 7pm on Thursday 1 October 2026, a day before the deadline, describing the decision as "unsafe" and containing "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact". The league's current rules say an appeal hearing should finish within 12 weeks of filing, with judgment inside 30 days after that. Sky Sports expects the hearing before Christmas, but City may argue that the faster timetable, introduced after their case began, does not apply to them. City cannot take the domestic case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport; a High Court challenge on procedural grounds is the remaining route.
Other bodies. UEFA is monitoring the case and has said it will wait for the Premier League process to finish. The FA said the decision has "significant implications for the integrity of the game" and that it will "take action where appropriate". Neither has acted.
How big could a deduction be?
Nobody has said, and anyone who names a number is guessing. The precedents give a sense of scale for far smaller breaches:
| Case | Sanction |
|---|---|
| Everton, 2023/24 | 10 points, cut to 6 on appeal, then a further 2 |
| Nottingham Forest, 2023/24 | 4 points |
| Derby County, 2021/22 (EFL) | 21 points |
| Luton Town, 2008/09 (EFL) | 30 points |
Sky Sports reports that rival clubs do not expect City to be in the Premier League next season if the appeal fails, and that the league appears to want the case concluded this season. Those are reports of what clubs expect, not decisions. Which season any deduction would apply to has not been decided.
What it means for FPL
FPL scoring is not affected. Your FPL points come only from what players do in matches: minutes, goals, assists, clean sheets, defensive contributions, saves and bonus. A club's league points play no part. If City were docked points tomorrow, Haaland's FPL total would not move. Our scoring guide covers every source of points.
Nothing changes on the pitch right now. There is no sanction, no ban and no suspension linked to the case. City play Liverpool away in Gameweek 6 on Sunday 11 October, then Ipswich at home, Aston Villa away and Brighton at home. Pick their players on those fixtures, their minutes and their form, the same as any other club.
Here is where the most-owned City players stand going into Gameweek 6, from FPL's own data and our projections:
| Player | Price | Owned | Points so far | GW6 projection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haaland (FWD) | £15.6m | 73.9% | 39 | 5.3 pts |
| Cherki (MID) | £7.8m | 28.5% | 34 | 4.0 pts |
| Gvardiol (DEF) | £5.7m | 26.9% | 37 | 3.7 pts |
| Guéhi (DEF) | £6.0m | 18.1% | 30 | 4.0 pts |
Projections are for Gameweek 6 only and move as team news lands; the player pages carry the latest numbers. Away at Anfield is the toughest fixture of City's next four, so a lower Haaland projection this week says more about the opponent than about the verdict.
The only scenario that would hit FPL directly is expulsion. If City were expelled mid-season their players would stop playing Premier League matches, and they would score nothing. There is no precedent: FPL's rules do not cover it, and nobody has said whether City's results would be voided. Even on the fastest timeline, with an appeal judgment in the new year, that would be a mid-season event at the earliest. It is not a reason to sell this week.
What would change our view. A confirmed sanction date, a decision on whether a sanction can take effect while an appeal is pending, or concrete reports of players leaving in January. Price changes are worth watching too: if managers sell City assets in a panic, prices fall, and the price change tracker shows that before it happens.
Timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| February 2023 | Premier League charges City with 115 breaches covering 2009-10 onward |
| September to December 2024 | Private hearing before a three-person independent commission |
| May to June 2026 | Pep Guardiola leaves; Enzo Maresca appointed head coach |
| 29 September 2026 | Decision published: guilty on all financial charges and most co-operation charges |
| 1 October 2026 | City lodge their appeal |
| 6 October 2026 | UEFA says it is monitoring the case |
| To be confirmed | Sanction hearing and appeal hearing |
Should you sell your City players?
Not because of the verdict. Sell a City player for the reasons you would sell anyone else: a bad run of fixtures, lost minutes, an injury, or a better use of the money. The planner shows your squad's projected points over the coming gameweeks, so you can see whether a City exit actually gains you anything before you make it.
Turn these prices into a squad
The planner is free — build your 15, check the £100m budget, and compare drafts side by side. No account needed to start.
Sources
- Premier League, statement on Manchester City FC, 29 September 2026
- Al Jazeera / Reuters, Man City guilty of all serious financial breach charges, 29 September 2026
- Sky Sports, appeal process, punishment hearing and what happens now, 30 September 2026
- ESPN, Man City appeal guilty verdict, 2 October 2026
- Al Jazeera, Manchester City appeal Premier League financial breach ruling, 2 October 2026
- Sky Sports, UEFA monitoring the case, 6 October 2026
- Sky Sports, clubs do not expect City to be in the Premier League next season if the appeal fails, 7 October 2026
- NBC Sports, Premier League table 2026-27, 8 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Have Man City been found guilty of the 115 charges?
Yes. On 29 September 2026 the Premier League published an independent commission's decision finding Manchester City guilty of all the financial-rule charges covering 2009-10 to 2017-18, and of three of the four alleged breaches of the duty to co-operate. Media count that as 114 of the 115 charges.
Have Man City been deducted points?
Not yet. The sanction will be decided at a separate private hearing in front of the same commission, and no date had been announced as of 8 October 2026. The options in the rules run from a reprimand or fine up to a points deduction or expulsion.
Have Man City appealed?
Yes. City lodged an appeal on the evening of 1 October 2026, calling the decision unsafe. Under the league's current rules the appeal should be heard within 12 weeks, which points to a hearing before Christmas, although City may argue those faster rules do not apply to their case.
Does a points deduction affect FPL points?
No. FPL points come from what each player does on the pitch: minutes, goals, assists, clean sheets, defensive contributions and bonus. A deduction from Manchester City's league points does not change the FPL points of Haaland or any other City player.
Should I sell my Man City players in FPL because of the verdict?
Not because of the verdict alone. No sanction, transfer ban or suspension is in force, City are top of the table and their fixtures are unchanged. Pick City players on fixtures, minutes and form, the same as anyone else.