- The Prime Minister arrived in the UAE on Thursday
- He was met by Man City president Al Mubarak
- Fans have joked that the meeting relates to City’s 115 charges
Manchester City president Khaldoon Al Mubarak was pictured greeting British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as the Labour politician arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
Mubarak received Starmer in Abu Dhabi alongside UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, with the two national leaders set to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
The UK Prime Minister is in the region to discuss security and stability among allies in the wake or Iran’s recent attacks on Gulf states, including the UAE.
As well as his role as president of Man City, Al Mubarak is also president of the UAE’s Executive Council Authority.
Who is Manchester City president Khaldoon Al Mubarak?
Al Mubarak is a major figure within the UAE government. The 50-year-old sits on the Supreme Council for Financial and Economic affairs, and served as the nations envoy to Chine since 2018.
A leading businessman, he is also chairman of City’s sister clubs, Melbourne City and Mumbai City, both of which are owned by City Football Group.
🚨🆕 Le Premier ministre britannique Keir Starmer est arrivé plus tôt aujourd’hui aux Émirats arabes unis, où il a été accueilli à Abou Dabi par le président de l’Autorité des affaires exécutives, et président de Manchester City, Khaldoon Al Mubarak. 🇬🇧🤝🇦🇪pic.twitter.com/lDFfCMbO8Q
— Blue Moon (@FRBlueMoon) April 9, 2026
Other than football, Al Mubarak was heavily involved with bringing Formula One to the UAE, working to negotiate the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix deal in 2007.
Fans joke Starmer will make Man City’s 115 charges ‘go away’
While the manner of Starmer’s visit to the UAE is serious, City fans have found humour in the situation after learning that Al Mubarak was one of those to greet the Prime Minister.
Many X users replied to footage of their pair meeting with jokes about City’s 115 charges for alleged breaches to Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
One user said: “Yeah those 115 allegations are beaten.”
Another joked: “We are NEVER being found guilty!”
And a third added: “115 charges? What 115 charges?”
Man City expected to learn verdict after the season ends
After a lengthy and widely publicised investigation, City may finally be about to hear the verdict of the 115 charges brought against them.
The case was first brought by the Premier League in 2023, with allegations that Pep Guardiola’s side breached FFP rules over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018.
An independent commission investigated from September 2024 to December of that year, with the panel still considering its verdict. However, reports have suggested an outcome may finally be close, with some suggesting all will be made public after the current season ends.
If found guilty, City’s possible punishments have been reported to include a 60-point deduction, depending on the severity of wrongdoing. The club are expected to appeal if that does happen, and maintain they have done nothing wrong.
