Manchester City appeal guilty verdict: what happens next, and what nobody yet knows

Manchester City have formally appealed against the independent Commission that found them guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. The club said it lodged the appeal at 7pm on Thursday 1 October, and the Premier League confirmed the appeal on 2 October.

What has been decided

In its statement of 29 September, the Premier League said the Commission found City guilty of all charges relating to its financial rules over nine seasons, from 2009/10 to 2017/18, and of three of the four charges of failing to co-operate with the League's investigation. The League said the Commission found that "sham" arrangements were used to inflate revenue and reduce costs by more than £900 million.

What City say

In its own statement, the club said the Commission's opinion "contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe", and that it is "innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League".

What has not been decided

• No sanction has been set. The League says sanctions are for the Commission, which has a broad discretion including fines and points deductions.
• The appeal will be heard by an independent Appeal Board. The League says the hearing is private and confidential until publication of the outcome is permitted.
• There is no published timetable for the appeal.

The Independent reported on Monday that some executives at rival clubs had discussed whether City could be suspended before the process ends. That is the newspaper's reporting from unnamed sources; no club or the League has said so publicly, and FCKFIFA has not confirmed it.

Why it matters to supporters

Every club's fans have a stake: league positions, European places and prize money this season may depend on an outcome that is months away. Until the Appeal Board rules, the verdict stands but is contested, and nobody can say what the final consequences will be.