Leicester penalty sharpens focus on Manchester City’s 115 charges

February 8, 2026 Oliver Obel

Leicester City’s six-point deduction has become more than a punishment for one club. It has reignited debate over how English football enforces its financial regulations and intensified attention on the unresolved case involving Manchester City.

An independent commission ruled on Thursday that Leicester breached Premier League spending rules, handing down a penalty that dropped the club to 20th in the Championship. Leicester now sit just above the relegation places on goal difference as they attempt to stabilise following last season’s relegation from the top flight.

In a statement, the club said it was “disappointed” by the decision and would take time to consider its response. Leicester argued that although the commission reduced the scale of the sanction originally sought by the Premier League, the final outcome “remains disproportionate” and failed to properly reflect mitigating factors presented during the hearing.

City case still unresolved

The Leicester decision has inevitably renewed scrutiny of Manchester City, who were charged by the Premier League three years ago with 115 alleged breaches of financial rules covering the period from 2009 to 2018. Despite the seriousness of the case, no verdict has yet been delivered.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has said the length of the process reflects the unprecedented scope of the charges. Speaking to the Mirror, he explained that each alleged breach requires a corresponding defence, producing vast amounts of evidence. Even comparatively narrow cases involving Everton and Nottingham Forest generated tens of thousands of documents during their hearings.

Serious allegations and slow process

Maguire noted that the accusations facing City are significantly more severe than those seen in recent cases. They include claims that funding from ownership sources was disguised as sponsorship revenue, an allegation he said is effectively comparable to fraud.

Because of the gravity of such claims, Maguire said commissions must be presented with overwhelming evidence before reaching conclusions. He also pointed to practical delays, noting that commission members are not full-time investigators and can only meet intermittently due to other professional commitments.

What punishment is likely?

Speculation around possible sanctions has ranged widely, with some suggesting City could be removed from the Football League entirely. Maguire dismissed those scenarios, arguing that recent precedent provides clearer guidance.

In cases where clubs were found to have gained a sporting advantage through financial misconduct, commissions have imposed points deductions rather than structural expulsions. “The charges against Man City cover a nine-year period,” Maguire told the Mirror, suggesting that any sanction, if guilt is established, would likely exceed recent penalties and could amount to “40–60 points” or more.

Limits of Premier League authority

Maguire also highlighted the structural boundaries within English football governance. While the Premier League can impose sporting sanctions, it cannot dictate outcomes within the English Football League.

Any punishment would therefore have to be applied through points deductions, even if those deductions resulted in relegation. In such a scenario, the EFL would be required to accept City into its competition under existing rules.

For now, Leicester’s case provides a tangible example of financial enforcement in action but it also underlines how much uncertainty still surrounds the most complex and closely watched investigation in English football.

Sources: Mirror, Leicester City statements