HMRC urged to scrutinise tax implications of Man City case

An important development from the financial markets: HMRC urged to scrutinise tax implications of Man City caseImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges against themByDan Roan Sports editorPublished1 October 2026Findings from the Premier League's case against Manchester City require scrutiny from His Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the chair of a cross-party group of MPs has told the tax authority. It was confirmed on Tuesday that an independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. City have repeatedly denied guilt, and have signalled an intent to lodge an appeal by Friday.

The club were found to have artificially inflated revenue through "sham" sponsorship agreements with the help of their owners. The independent commission which studied the case found City "utilised devices" to "disguise the true extent of certain club liabilities". The Treasury Committee, which is responsible for overseeing policies and administration of HMRC, has therefore asked whether the government department has requested the redacted documents contained within the commission's report.

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Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the Treasury Committee, said she would "welcome reassurance from HMRC that you are seized of the importance of these issues and the public interest in this case". The letter follows a report from the Tax Policy Associates, external which claims City failed to pay as much as £12m in unpaid tax because of a "sham" contract with former manager Roberto Mancini. In addition to unpaid income tax and National Insurance, the report claims City could face a penalty charge that would take their liabilities to £24m.

Manchester City vs The Premier League Man City not 'above the rules', says No 10 after backlash to Burnham remarks Published1 day agoWhy Andy Burnham's about-turn on Manchester City matters Published2 days agoCity to argue sponsorship deals came from Abu Dhabi government Manchester City will claim as part of their appeal that key sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than the club's owners. Owners Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) - a private investment company belonging to United Arab Emirates vice-president and deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour - are said to have topped up the value of commercial deals as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to the scale of £830. This, it was argued, enabled the club to appear to comply with Premier League and Uefa financial rules.

However, as first reported by the Daily Mail and Times, sources have told Sport that City are expected to tell an appeal board that they have evidence showing the money directed to state-owned sponsors came from the Abu Dhabi government, rather than from ADUG. Premier League rules allow state-owned bodies to sponsor clubs.

Financial markets are tracking the development closely as investors assess the likely impact.