Burnham says he would be concerned if Man City owners sell after rule breach verdict

September 30, 2026 at 09:01 PM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he would be 'really concerned' if Manchester City's owners sell the club after an independent commission found it guilty of most of the 115 Premier League financial rule breaches. Burnham praised the Abu Dhabi-led ownership for investing in Manchester since 2008. The club, which denies wrongdoing, has until 2 October to appeal the verdict.

Key Facts

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of the majority of the 115 Premier League financial rule breaches.
Manchester City have until 2 October to submit an appeal against the verdict.
The Independent Football Regulator said the case raised 'serious issues' and may explore stripping the owners of their licence.
The panel found City arranged 'sham contracts' to disguise secret funding of more than £830m.
Andy Burnham thanked City Football Group for investment in the Etihad Stadium and surrounding area.

Burnham's Reaction

Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester until June, said he would be 'really concerned' if Manchester City's owners decided to sell the club. He praised the owners, led by Sheikh Mansour, for investing in Manchester since 2008. Burnham thanked City Football Group for money put into the Etihad Stadium and the surrounding campus. He said he was confident his own interactions with City's owners as mayor would stand up to scrutiny.

Regulatory and League Response

The Independent Football Regulator said the case had raised 'serious issues'. The regulator suggested it would explore options, including whether to strip the owners of their licence to own the club, once the disciplinary process was completed. The Premier League said City 'systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade'. An independent panel will hold a sanctions hearing to decide the punishment, which could range from a fine to ejection from the Premier League.