City are unlikely to be stripped of Premier League titles won during the period covered by the financial charges against them, according to reports.
The possibility of retrospective title-stripping has become one of the biggest questions surrounding Man City since reports emerged on Friday that an independent panel had found the vast majority of the Premier League’s charges against the club proven.
The Times reports that removing City’s previous titles is unlikely to form part of any eventual sanction. That does not mean the club’s honours are officially safe. No sanction has been announced, the Premier League has not published the commission’s findings, and City insist the disciplinary process remains ongoing.
Why City’s Premier League titles are unlikely to be stripped
The charges brought by the Premier League in February 2023 concerned alleged breaches across a period stretching from 2009-10 to 2017-18, alongside further allegations relating to subsequent seasons and City’s cooperation with the investigation.
During that principal nine-season period, City won the Premier League in 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18. They retained the title in 2018-19, while some of the wider charges brought by the league related to later seasons.
The Times reports that retrospective removal of titles is unlikely to be the route taken when sanctions are eventually determined. That is significant because title-stripping has featured prominently in the debate surrounding the case, particularly among supporters of clubs who finished behind City during their most successful period.
It remains reporting about a potential sanction rather than a confirmed decision.
City say Premier League process remains ongoing
City responded to Friday’s reports by reiterating that the case has not concluded. A club spokesperson said:
“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the Club’s statement of February 2023.
“The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
The Premier League originally charged City in February 2023 following an investigation lasting several years. An independent commission subsequently heard the case during a hearing that ran for 12 weeks between September and December 2024.
Reports on Friday claimed that the vast majority of the charges had been proven. The Premier League has not published the commission’s judgment, with proceedings subject to confidentiality. The Manchester Evening News has also examined whether City’s previous titles could be removed and carries the club’s response to the latest reports.
No punishment has been announced
No points deduction, fine or other sporting sanction has been publicly confirmed. There is therefore an important gap between reports about the commission’s findings and knowing what consequences, if any, will eventually follow.
City players have already faced questions about the case while away on international duty. Our report on the latest fallout from the charges covers the reaction involving Rodri and City’s England internationals.
The case itself has roots stretching back years. Our look at the origins of the investigation examines the leaked material that helped place City’s finances under scrutiny before the Premier League brought its charges.
City case still has some distance to run
City themselves have not publicly announced a formal appeal. Their response to Friday’s reports instead stressed that “significant elements” of the process remain to be completed.
There could eventually be consequences beyond any sanction imposed through the Premier League proceedings.
Reports have raised the possibility of other clubs pursuing compensation claims depending on the final outcome. No such claims have been determined, and any action would involve a separate process.
For now, City’s previous Premier League titles remain in the record books.
The Times reports that retrospective title-stripping is unlikely, but no official sanction has been announced and the Premier League process has not reached a publicly confirmed conclusion.
There is still no definitive answer on what punishment, if any, will follow the reported findings. On the narrower question of City’s existing titles, however, the latest reporting suggests removing them is unlikely to be part of it.
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