Man City charges verdict update as Premier League chief admits frustration is ‘understandable’

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters understands fan frustration over Manchester City’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) charges.

The club are awaiting the verdict of a hearing into 130 alleged breaches of the league’s FFP rules.

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City were charged with an initial 115 breaches by the Premier League back in February 2023.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.

An additional 15 charges were later added to take the total number to 130.

Although a hearing took place between September and December 2024, a verdict has yet to be reached.

Man City charges update

Masters has now provided an update ahead of the start of the new season.

The 2026/27 campaign begins on Friday, with Arsenal hosting Coventry City at 8pm, live on talkSPORT.

Prior to the new season, Masters spoke to talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook at the Premier League’s launch event on Tuesday.

Asked if a verdict is any closer to being announced, he admitted: “As every day elapses, we must be a day nearer.

“I obviously can’t comment on it. I do understand the frustration. It has taken longer than expected, but we have to follow the process.”

As for whether the wait, which has now reached 20 months, is damaging the top-flight, Masters added: “I hope not.

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“In the end, the Premier League’s responsibility is to ask the Independent Commission to look at serious allegations and to establish the truth.

“That shouldn’t be qualified by it taking too long, for example.”

Premier League financial rule changes

The new season will also bring a change to the Premier League’s financial rules.

As of this term, profit and sustainability rules (PSR) will be replaced by squad cost ratio (SCR).

It represents the adoption of a system similar to that already implemented by UEFA.

SCR limits clubs’ spending on players to a percentage of their football-related revenue.

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That figure has been set at 85 per cent by the Premier League, compared to 70 per cent in UEFA competitions.

Asked how the change will improve the league and helps those sides lower down the food chain, Masters explained: “I’m not sure.

“It took us two years to get that in. That was a very long consultation about PSR and what should come forward.

“Obviously one of the motivations behind bringing in squad cost ratio is to have close alignment with UEFA.

“Ours is a slightly different system. They’re at 70 per cent, we’re a more generous 85 per cent and that was the same with PSR.

“Our limits have always been set higher than UEFA’s, more flexibility for clubs to invest over time to allow the chasing pack to compete.

“Squad cost ratio is designed to do the same. So I think we’ve got a very good competitive balance in the Premier League and I hope the SCR reinforces that.”