Man City 115 charges bombshell drops as ex-advisor reveals new timeline hint

November 26, 2025 Oliver Obel

The Premier League first charged City in February 2023 with 115 alleged financial rule breaches across a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018 — a figure later expanded to 134 alleged violations, according to reporting from The Guardian and BBC Sport. An independent commission heard 12 weeks of evidence from both sides before concluding its work in autumn 2023.

Typically, Premier League commissions deliver rulings within months. Instead, nearly a year has passed without a public update, an unusually lengthy gap that has fueled speculation across football. City continue to reject all allegations, saying they remain “totally confident” of being cleared.

The league and the club are bound to silence during deliberations, which has only heightened the atmosphere of uncertainty.

Adviser predicts ruling “before christmas”

Speaking on talkSPORT, former City adviser Stefan Borson pushed back against growing assumptions that a decision may be delayed until 2025.

“I think Simon thinks it’s going to come out next year — I think it still could come out before Christmas,” he said. Borson added that the matter has been “imminent for quite some time,” arguing the process “doesn’t take that long” once hearings conclude.

He also emphasized that neither City nor the Premier League is responsible for the holdup. “All the lawyers are surprised there is no decision at this stage,” he said, adding that the commission itself is “holding it up.”

Not all observers share Borson’s optimism. Some legal analysts told The Times that the complexity of the rulebook and the scale of evidence may simply require more time, particularly given the precedent the ruling could set.

What the verdict could look like

If the commission rules against City, the range of possible sanctions is broad. Penalties could include:

Financial fines
Points deductions
Transfer restrictions
In extreme cases, expulsion from the league

However, legal specialists at Norton Rose Fulbright, cited by several UK outlets, believe the Premier League is likely to pursue a more measured outcome rather than the harshest available punishment.

Any appeal options would be narrow. Under the Arbitration Act 1996, challenges are allowed only under tightly defined circumstances, meaning the commission’s finding is expected — in the firm’s words — to be “overwhelmingly likely” to stand.

Ripple effects beyond Manchester

A guilty verdict could spur other clubs to explore compensation claims, though sports-law experts note such cases are notoriously difficult to win and would require clear proof of financial loss tied to City’s alleged behaviour.

Beyond the immediate consequences, the ruling is expected to shape ongoing debates about financial regulation, competitive integrity, and the Premier League’s ability to enforce its own rules.

For now, both the league and its reigning champions — along with supporters, clubs, and analysts — remain stuck in an unusually prolonged waiting game, one that may soon come to an end.

Sources: talkSPORT, The Guardian; BBC Sport, The Times, Norton Rose Fulbright commentary, UK legal analysts.