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A verdict over Premier League charges against Manchester City is finally set to be delivered after a bombshell report said the club have been “found guilty on almost all of the charges”.

The Athletic reported on Friday, and Independent sources have since insisted the same, that the former champions have been found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018, in what would be a seminal moment for the richest football league in the world.

The landmark ruling follows one of the most significant court cases in the history of sport, with the verdict also having major repercussions for City’s rivals. The Premier League have declined to comment, however.

City, currently top of the Premier League after five games, were charged with over 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules in February 2023, with the club always denying any wrongdoing throughout the process.

An independent commission was appointed following a four-year investigation. Sanctions have not yet been decided, according to The Athletic, and City are expected to appeal. A club spokesperson said the Premier League process “remains ongoing”.

City have been England’s most successful team since the club’s fortunes were transformed by Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in 2008. There are a wide range of punishments available to the top-flight’s authorities. Sanctions could include fines and/or points deductions, and even expulsion as a member of the Premier League.

Follow all the latest news, reaction and analysis to one of the most important moments in the Premier League’s history:

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City odds to be relegated slashed with Arsenal now heavy favourites to win Premier League

Man City have been priced at just 9/2 to be relegated following the reports that they have been found guilty of almost all of their 115 financial charges.

That would put their chances of relegation at 18 per cent, according to Betfair.

Enzo Maresca’s side are top of the Premier League by three points after five games and were very narrow second favourites (6/5) behind Arsenal (11/10).

But now City are 5/2 to win the league, with Arsenal just 8/11.

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Jack Rathborn25 September 2026 17:40

What happened when Man City were punished by Uefa?

The Premier League’s case against Manchester City is not the first time the club have been involved in a long-running legal drama.

In November 2018, German newspaper Der Spiegel publish leaked documents, obtained by Football Leaks, alleging Manchester City had inflated the value of sponsorship deals in order to circumvent FFP rules.

Uefa launched investigation into Manchester City over alleged breach of FFP and in February 2020, announced a two-year Champions League ban and €30m fine. They ruled City committed “serious breaches” of FFP regulations between 2012 and 2016.

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City describe the process as “prejudicial” appealed to The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), who overturned City’s two-year Champions League ban and reduced their fine to €10m.

Cas ruled that City were cleared of “disguising equity funds as sponsorship contributions” but added the club did “fail to cooperate with Uefa authorities”.

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 17:25

What comes next as Man City look to appeal?

The Premier League’s case against Manchester City may not end “any time soon”, according to leading sports barrister Yasin Patel of Church Court Chambers.

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Mr Patel says City will now look into whether the independent commission followed the correct procedures and will keenly look for “wrongly interpretation of law and legal errors” during the hearing.

“Sanctions could include a major fine, points deduction, relegation or even all three,” he said.

“Factoring in whether titles and trophies should be stripped, whether other clubs have been robbed of further revenue and opportunities due to City’s wrongdoings and losses incurred, we safely say that this is only the first chapter of a long-running legal saga that will not end any time soon.”

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 17:10

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Everything Pep Guardiola said about Manchester City’s 115 charges

The final two years of the period encompassed by the charges came at the start of Pep Guardiola’s stint at Manchester City. Here is everything that the former manager said about the matter during his time at the club:

Harry Latham-Coyle25 September 2026 16:55

The Premier League are not commenting on reports of Man City verdict

The Premier League are not commenting or providing guidance on the reports that the majority of charges against Manchester City have been proven. The Premier League say the process remains “private and confidential”.

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With Manchester City saying that this process is still ongoing, it suggests there is a chance the case has already moved into the appeal stage.

Last month, before the start of the Premier League season, the Premier League’s chief executive said the case had “taken longer than expected”.

“It’s hugely complex. The hearing took 12 weeks,” added Masters.

“There’s only one available route through this, which is to allow the process to take its course.

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“It has taken longer than expected, and I do understand the frustrations.”

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 16:39

What are the Premier League’s charges against Man City?

A number of the charges against Manchester City included a “failure to cooperate” with the Premier League’s four-year investigation. According to the club, however, City still believe there is “irrefutable evidence” that proves their innocence.

Full breakdown of the charges brought to Manchester City

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• 54 – Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information (2009-2018)
• 14 – Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation (2009-2018)
• 5 – Failure to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations
• 7 – Breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability regulations (2015-2018)
• 35 – Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations (2018-2023)

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 16:29

Have there been verdicts against other Premier League clubs?

Chelsea voluntarily reported potential historical breaches of rules in 2022, concerning its use of unauthorised agents or unregistered intermediaries when signing new players and then submitted false and misleading documentation.

They primarily related to the seasons between 2010/11 to 2015/16, which came under the ownership of the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, and were discovered during the due diligence process following the change of ownership in 2022.

Chelsea admitted to all 74 breaches. In July, following a similar verdict from the Football Association, the Blues confirmed that the FA’s punishment “brings all regulatory proceedings against the club to a close”.

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Everton, who were given a 10-point deduction over the breaches in November 2023, which was reduced to six points on appeal, launched another appeal against the ruling, which they said sets a “dangerous precedent” that could lead to a rash of other legal cases between clubs.

In March 2024, Nottingham Forest were docked four points for breaching PSR rules in the 2022-23 season. The club dropped into the relegation zone at the time, but survived relegation that season.

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 16:19

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Rio Ferdinand reacts: ‘Another medal to be added to the cabinet’

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has already claimed a seventh Premier League winners’ medal following today’s reports of the Manchester City verdict.

City beat United to the title on goal difference in 2012, when Ferdinand was still part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, which falls inside the nine-year period where City have been found of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 16:08

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Man City release statement after Premier League ‘verdict’ on 115 charges

A Manchester City spokesperson insists the Premier League’s process over the alleged 115 charges “remains ongoing” after a bombshell report stated the club have been “found guilty on almost all of the charges.”

Having been initially charged in February 2023, The Athletic reported on Friday afternoon that City have been found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules in 114 of the 115 cases.

The report added that sanctions have not yet been decided, while former champions City are expected to appeal the landmark verdict.

Reacting to the reports on Friday, a Manchester City spokesperson said: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.

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“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.”

Jamie Braidwood25 September 2026 15:57

Could Man City be expelled from the Premier League over financial breaches?

The short answer is yes, but there are a wide range of punishments available to the top-flight’s authorities. Sanctions could include fines and/or points deductions, and even expulsion as a member of the Premier League, which would require City to rebuild from the lower leagues.

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Rule W.51 of the Premier League is the relevant section of its regulations, and it states that options for sanctioning a club found guilty of breaches include the powers to:

• “Suspend it from playing in League Matches”
• “Deduct points scored or to be scored in League Matches”
• “Recommend that the League expels the Respondent from membership”
• “Order the Respondent to pay compensation unlimited in amount to any Person or to any Club”

The rules state that any combination of punishments could be applied, and that penalties could be conditional or contingent on a “defined action” being taken.

Lawrence Ostlere25 September 2026 15:47

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar on Friday, September 25, with fans able to attend the match in Uyo or follow the action on television and online.

Nigeria will face the Barea at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 5:00pm Nigerian time.

How to Get Nigeria vs Madagascar Tickets

Tickets for the match will go on sale from 8:30am on Friday, September 25, the day of the game.

Fans can purchase tickets from designated vendors and regular outlets across Uyo, including:

– Godswill Akpabio International Stadium ticket booths
– Uyo Township Stadium
– Selected radio stations and other ticket vendors in Uyo

Ticket prices are:

– VIP – ₦3,000
– Regular – ₦1,000

Fans planning to attend are advised to get their tickets early and arrive at the stadium on time ahead of the 5:00pm kick-off.

How to Watch Nigeria vs Madagascar on TV

For viewers in Nigeria, the match is expected to be broadcast live by SuperSport through its DStv and GOtv platforms.

The exact channel allocation should be checked on the DStv or GOtv electronic programme guide before kick-off, as channel listings can change.

Across Africa, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique is also listed to show the game.

How to Watch Nigeria vs Madagascar Online

Fans who cannot attend the match or watch it on television can check the official digital platforms provided by the relevant broadcasters.

SuperSport subscribers with access to its digital streaming service may be able to watch the match online, depending on their subscription package and location.

Viewers outside Nigeria should check their local broadcasters for available streaming options, as rights differ from country to country.

In the United States, the match is listed on beIN SPORTS, with Fubo also carrying the channel.

Match Details

Match: Nigeria vs Madagascar
Competition: 2027 AFCON Qualifier – Group L
Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
Venue: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo
Kick-off: 5:00pm WAT / 4:00pm GMT
Nigeria TV: SuperSport
Online: SuperSport digital platforms, subject to subscription and territory
USA: beIN SPORTS / Fubo

Nigeria will be hoping to start their qualifying campaign with a win after missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Madagascar, however, will be looking to repeat their famous 2–0 victory over Nigeria at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.

With Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau battling for the remaining qualification place in Group L, Friday’s match could be an important one for the Super Eagles.

For fans in Uyo, the quickest way to be part of the action is to get a ticket from the available outlets and head to the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium before kick-off.

This week’s Fight Night card is loaded with some of the widest handle-versus-bets gaps we’ve tracked all season, with four separate fights showing 40-plus point differences between ticket count and dollar volume.

That kind of split is the clearest fingerprint of sharp, professional money working against the betting public, and this card has an unusually high concentration of it.

The Three Biggest Sharp Signals

Nothing on the card compares to the Sedriques Dumas-Mickey Gall bout. Dumas is drawing 84% of all bets at +124, but he’s carrying just 23% of the total handle. Gall, priced at -148, is pulling a remarkable 77% of the money on only 16% of tickets, a massive 61-point gap between his bet share and handle share. That means a small number of large, informed wagers are completely overwhelming a much bigger pool of small public bets on the underdog, making Gall the single clearest sharp play of fight week.

Close behind is Ricky Simon against Montel Jackson, where the signal flips direction. Jackson sits as the -198 favorite with 78% of bets but only 22% of the handle, while Simon at +164 is drawing 78% of the money despite just 22% of tickets, a 56-point gap favoring the live underdog. Rinya Nakamura and Brady Hiestand round out the top three with an equally extreme split: Nakamura holds 96% of bets as the -380 favorite but only 42% of the handle, while Hiestand’s +300 price is pulling 58% of the money on just 4% of tickets, a 54-point difference that flags heavy sharp interest in the upset.

Additional Underdog Value

Yazmin Jauregui versus Vanessa Demopoulos shows another significant reverse signal worth tracking. Jauregui is a massive -1000 favorite holding 80% of bets, yet she’s carrying only 34% of the handle. Demopoulos, at +650, is drawing 66% of the money on just 20% of tickets, a 46-point gap. Combined with the extreme price, this looks like a spot where sharp bettors are willing to take a significant plus-money underdog rather than lay a heavily juiced favorite, even against a live betting public.

Line Movement to Watch

One matchup shows real momentum shifting between snapshots. Earlier splits had Elves Brener at +114 and Josiah Harrell at -135 with only a modest 6-point gap between them, essentially a coin-flip in sharp terms. But the more recent numbers show Harrell shortening to -122 while his bet share climbed to 76% against just 47% of the handle, and Brener’s handle share jumped to 53% on only 24% of tickets, a 29-point swing toward the underdog. That kind of flip between snapshots suggests sharp money moved into Brener as the week progressed, and it’s worth watching for further line movement heading into fight night.

For bettors chasing the smart money into UFC Vegas 121, Gall, Simon, and Hiestand stand out as this week’s clearest sharp signals, while Demopoulos offers additional underdog value and the Brener-Harrell steam is worth monitoring right up to the walkouts.

Talented opener Yashasvi Jaiswal last month got involved in a tense altercation with Asitha Fernando on Day 1 of the second India vs Sri Lanka Test in Colombo. The incident took place immediately after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal (45) with a lovely nip-backer in the first session of the match at the SSC Ground. As the left-hander was walking off the field, Fernando gave him a send-off, prompting Jaiswal to turn back and confront him. Jaiswal’s helmet touched Fernando’s forehead as the two players engaged in a heated verbal exchange before Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva intervened to separate them.

Dhruv Jurel, who scored a century in the match, revealed what exactly happened during a podcast with former India star Aakash Chopra.

“When he got out, he was quietly walking back to the dressing room. He didn’t say anything. If you look at the footage, Jaiswal immediately turned around. The Sri Lankan pacer was abusing him. Jaiswal told me that he was abusing him nonstop,” Jurel told Aakash Chopra.

“Jaiswal told him, ‘It’s okay. You took my wicket, you can show normal aggression, but you can’t abuse me.’”

Chopra then opined: “He’s a feisty guy, isn’t he? He will give it back if you give it to him.”

Jurel replied, “100 per cent. He will never start it; I have never seen him do that. He is always in the zone; he is always thinking about his batting. But if you provoke us, we will also return it.”

After the day’s play ended on the day the incident occurred, popular cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle spoke about whether Jaiswal had crossed the line. In a video, Bhogle said Jaiswal is a great talent and that should always be his dominant trait, rather than being combative and responding to send-offs. “He was provoked, but I think they got a little too close.”

Jaiswal responded to the video on Instagram on Monday morning with the following comment:

“If you don’t know what he said, then please don’t make your judgment. If anyone crosses the line, we need to let them know. This India will fight and reply,” Yashasvi Jaiswal commented on the video.

Featured Video Of The Day

Spain’s Royal Family Welcomes World Cup Champions To Zarzuela Palace

The four main European football leagues – the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A and Germany’s Bundesliga – called on Friday for a reform of FIFA.

The sport’s governing body has been mired in crisis since the revelation of a plan, since shelved, to create a commercial company FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would be open to private investors.

“Fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within FIFA, including confidence that individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference,” the four leagues wrote in a statement sent to AFP.

“We are speaking up together, as founding members of European Leagues and the World Leagues Association, because we understand how FIFA’s relentless expansionism affects everyone.”

The statement comes just days after FIFA president Gianni Infantino – who has come under fire since the FFE plan to bring private investment into the men’s and women’s World Cups – proposed “a consultation” of the national federations in order to reform the body’s governance.

Read moreFrench Football Federation pulls support from FIFA head Infantino’s re-election bid

“The FIFA president has now acknowledged the need for reform, but it is not enough for surface-level, process changes to be explored in the aftermath of FFE,” stated the four main European leagues, who went on to describe the project as “one of the biggest abuses of power in FIFA’s history”.

The four leagues, however, steered away from putting all the blame on Infantino’s shoulders.

“FIFA’s governance problem goes far beyond the role of one individual,” they said.

They propose the creation of a permanent body representing national associations, leagues, clubs and players, from across men’s and women’s football.

“This new body must be fully informed about new initiatives and have a meaningful role in FIFA’s decision-making process,” they added.

“Any major FIFA proposal must begin with a clearly defined rationale, supporting evidence and an independent assessment, published in advance of any decision, covering players, clubs, leagues and supporters, and evaluating the impact on all stakeholders and the development of football.”

They also called for the protection of FIFA’s role “as regulator and guardian of the game” from its commercial activities.

The four leagues put a call out for candidates for the FIFA presidency who will endorse their principles “within the first 100 days of the next presidential mandate”.

For now, Infantino is the sole candidate for the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027, with the submission of candidacies open until November 18.

UEFA, alongside North American body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), issued a no-holds-barred joint letter against Infantino in August.

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held,” they wrote.

However, Infantino is not without friends – 2034 World Cup hosts Saudi Arabia came out in support last month, with African football’s governing body CAF and South America’s CONMEBOL also supportive.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

The UK health and fitness sector could reach 17 million members by 2032 if its current growth trajectory continues, but operators will need to work harder to reach women, lower socioeconomic groups and older adults if the industry is to fulfil its potential.

Speaking at the HFA European Congress at London Stadium on 24 September UK Active CEO Cameron Saunders, highlighted the rapid growth of the UK fitness market and the opportunities still ahead.

The UK now has 12.2 million health and fitness club members – almost one in five people – with 679 million visits made to facilities during 2025 and £5.7 billion generated in membership income.

Between 2023 and 2025, the market added around 1.4 million members and 110 million annual visits, while membership income increased by £947 million.

Visits are now rising faster than membership, suggesting existing members are using facilities more frequently.

The UK’s mix of public and private provision was identified as one of its strengths. Private operators are driving growth through both new openings and increasing membership at existing sites, while public operators have generated growth largely from existing facilities, increasing both membership and visit frequency.

If current rates of growth were maintained, UK Active projects membership could rise to around 17 million by 2032 – equivalent to approximately one in four people – and 22 million by 2039, or around one in three.

However, Saunders warned against assuming growth will automatically continue at its current pace.

The biggest volume of members currently comes from 25- to 34-year-olds, with around 60 per cent reporting gym membership, while Gen Z participation appears to be plateauing at a high base.

Older adults are emerging as a particularly important opportunity. Membership among over-55s has increased by 44 per cent, according to data presented at the Congress, although participation remains considerably below that of younger age groups.

Saunders said this demographic could have some of the most significant health gains from becoming more active, while also potentially reducing pressure on the NHS through prevention.

The analysis also highlighted inequalities in the industry’s recent growth.

Participation among ABC1 socioeconomic groups has risen strongly, while growth among C2DE groups has been much more modest. The barriers are also different: ABC1 consumers are more likely to identify cost as an issue, while confidence and psychological barriers are more significant among C2DE groups.

Male participation has also been growing faster than female participation, widening the gender gap.

The session formed part of the opening programme of the 2026 HFA European Congress, which is bringing together health and fitness leaders from more than 35 countries at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.