Man City could face 60-point deduction over financial charges
Manchester City could face a deduction of up to 60 points if found guilty of the 115 financial charges brought against them, according to a leading football finance expert.
The Premier League champions have been awaiting a verdict since a 10-week hearing into the historical accusations concluded in December 2024.
Pep Guardiola’s side were first accused of serious financial breaches in February 2023, initiating a complex legal process that could reshape English football.
While the Etihad club strenuously deny all charges, speculation regarding potential punishments continues to mount pending the decision of the Independent Commission.
Projected sanctions
Kieran Maguire, a specialist in football finance, believes the scale of the alleged offences suggests a punishment far exceeding recent precedents.
Speaking on The Overlap, Maguire referenced the deductions handed to Everton and Nottingham Forest for profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) breaches.
He noted that those sanctions covered a three-year period, whereas the case against the treble winners spans nine years.
“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 to be consistent with what we’ve seen with other decisions, would make a lot of logic.”
Kieran Maguire, Football Finance Expert
Maguire indicated that the sheer volume of evidence presented by both prosecution and defence likely amounts to “half a million pieces”.
Relegation restrictions
Despite the severity of the potential points loss, the Premier League does not hold the authority to directly relegate a club to the English Football League (EFL).
Maguire explained that relegation to League One or League Two requires an EFL decision, and the organisation has not proven any charges against the Manchester club.
Consequently, any sporting sanction applied by the Premier League must come in the form of a points deduction within the current division.
Impact on the table
A deduction of this magnitude would have immediate and drastic consequences for the current league standings.
Based on a current total of 56 points, a 60-point penalty would drop Guardiola’s team to minus four points.
Such a ruling would leave the reigning champions bottom of the table, facing a distinct battle against relegation.
The shift would significantly alter the title race, potentially allowing Arsenal to open a substantial lead over challengers such as Aston Villa and Liverpool.