Man City risk huge points penalty as FFP verdict looms

March 30, 2026 Oliver Obel

Uncertainty continues to surround Manchester City as the Premier League’s long-running Financial Fair Play case edges closer to a conclusion, with fresh claims intensifying debate over what penalties could follow.

The club has strongly denied wrongdoing, but more than three years after being charged, no verdict has yet been announced.

New claims add to uncertainty

Recent speculation has been driven by Colombian journalist Cesar Augusto Londoño, who wrote on X that a decision could arrive before the end of the current season. He claimed City could face a 60-point deduction if found guilty of breaching financial rules.

Such a sanction, if imposed, would almost certainly relegate the defending champions. However, the claim has not been confirmed by the Premier League, and there is no official indication of when a final decision will be made.

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Scale of potential punishment debated

Manchester City were charged in February 2023 with 115 alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations covering a nine-year period.

Speaking on The Overlap podcast, football finance expert Kieran Maguire said any punishment would likely reflect the scale and duration of the alleged offences, comparing the case to recent sanctions handed to other clubs.

“If we take a look at precedence, we have had Everton and Nottingham Forest with six and four-point deductions for a single offence covering a three-year period,” he said.

“The accusations against Manchester City cover a nine-year period, so it is far bigger.”

Maguire added that the financial impact of the case could justify a significantly heavier penalty.

“The numbers involved, we are not certain about, but they are likely to be quite significant,” he said. “I think you have to add a zero to what we've seen in terms of Forest and Everton, so somewhere between a 40 and 60-point deduction would be, on merit… consistent with what we've seen with other decisions.”

Frustration over delays

The length of the process has also drawn criticism. Former Manchester City captain Richard Dunne said the delay risks undermining confidence in the league’s governance.

According to Goal, he said: “It's been ridiculous already, the amount of time that it's dragged on. They've come to a conclusion a long time ago, so why it's taken so long to get around to giving out their results of what they found is stupid.”

Dunne also warned against announcing a verdict during the season, arguing it could disrupt the competition.

“I mean, it just undermines the whole Premier League if they start coming out now at this stage of the season,” he said, adding that decisions should instead be made in the summer to avoid affecting the title race.

Awaiting a decisive outcome

While the range of possible punishments remains unclear, the case is widely seen as one of the most significant in Premier League history, with implications not only for Manchester City but for how financial regulations are enforced across the game.

For now, clubs, fans and analysts alike are left waiting for a final ruling that could reshape the competitive landscape.

Sources: Goal, The Overlap, X