Analysis
Man City Premier League charges: Kaveh Solhekol answers your questions on appeal, EFL, independent regulator and more
Man City have been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission; Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol answers your questions on when an appeal outcome might be released, the EFL, independent regulator and much more...
Wednesday 30 September 2026 16:24, UK
Kaveh Solhekol has answered your latest questions on Manchester City after they were found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission.
City continue to deny the breaches and have confirmed they will appeal against the ruling - they have until Friday October 2 to do so.
Answering your questions live on Sky Sports News, the chief correspondent discussed a range of topics, from when there will be an appeal outcome, to a potential drop into the EFL, player contracts and much more.
Read on for his answers in the latest Q&A...
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'We should have appeal outcome in new year'
RhydonDN asked: How long is the appeal process expected to take? Could we be in a scenario where Man City appeal and this whole process takes additional months or even years to be resolved?
Solhekol said: "The football process will be done relatively quickly. If Man City take it to the High Court though, it could run for years and years.
"But with the Premier League process, City have until Friday to appeal, then that would need to be wrapped by Christmas, I think - 12 weeks.
"We would then get a judgement in 30 days of that 12-week period being over. We will get the judgement of the appeal in the new year and well before the end of the season.
"That appeal will be heard by a new three-person panel."
Potential punishment and would the EFL accept Man City?
Josh asked: Could the Premier League deduct Man City the maximum amount of points they could earn this season to ensure they are relegated to the EFL?
Secondly, would the EFL accept them into the Championship?
Solhekol said: "What is going to happen is, we will have a sanctions hearing. The same three people who delivered the judgement and were on the original commission will decide what the punishment will be.
"They have a range of options. City could be expelled from the Premier League, could be a points deduction, transfer ban or big fine. We have to wait and find out what the punishment will be.
"If they just get a points deduction, which means they are relegated this season, then I imagine the EFL would accept them.
"If they are expelled, the EFL does not need to necessarily accept them. They would have to apply to be admitted to the EFL and it would be up to the EFL's 72 clubs to decide.
"You would imagine the EFL would want to admit them as City are a big club. Wherever they go, there will be big interest and big support."
Jonty asked: Could the EFL refuse City entry into their system? Where would that leave them?
Solhekol said: "Technically they could. If they are expelled from the Premier League, the EFL may decide they don't want Man City in the EFL, but I don't understand why they would not want City in the EFL."
Would City get parachute payments if they were relegated?
Ash asked: If City are effectively relegated by points deduction, will they receive automatic parachute payments? The mechanics of relegation are set up to support teams not punish them as far as I'm aware. I'd also be keen to know if 2019 onwards will also be investigated.
Solhekol said: "I don't see any reason why they wouldn't receive parachute payments, just like any other club if they were relegated from the Premier League. That is the simple answer."
What role could the Independent Football Regulator play?
Owners test asked: Surely there's something in the owners' charter about this, could they be forced to sell? Could criminal charges happen as they submitted fraudulent accounts?
Solhekol said: "Now we have an Independent Football Regulator, it may well be the case that the regulator takes an interest in this, once the whole process has run its course.
"They do have the power to disbar people from owning clubs or having senior roles, for instance being directors of clubs.
"That is a possibility. But again, let's make it clear, City say it is never going to get as far as that because we will prove that we are innocent."
PolarBear asked: Can the independent football regulator force the current owners out?
Solhekol said: "We've had a lot of questions like this and yes, the regulator has the power to force an owner to sell a club, but we are a long way away from the possibility of that happening."
'The evidence submitted only went up to 2018'
Gooner2526 asked: Considering how damning the verdict appears to have been for the seasons 2009/10 to 2017/18, surely the subsequent seasons would warrant investigation next? Why isn't this a topic?
Solhekol said: "I can only assume that the evidence put in front of the tribunal only went up to that season.
"What we do know is a lot of the evidence came in material obtained by a Portuguese hacker, Rui Pinto, who hacked into City's email servers and handed that information on to German magazine Der Spiegel.
"They first reported their investigations in a series of articles that were published in 2018 and that is what promoted UEFA's investigations and also triggered the Premier League's investigation.
"The short answer is - the evidence that was presented to the tribunal only went up to 2018."
'HMRC might take an interest - but we have to wait and see'
Dan asked: The scale of the judgement goes beyond football and suggests that Man City could be guilty of a massive corporate fraud. What is the likelihood of a criminal or regulatory investigation into the evidence of fraud/false accounting by Man City?
Solhekol said: "We have to wait and see. What I do know is that when you file company accounts, you have a legal duty to make sure the financial declarations you make are true and accurate.
"If you fraudulently misrepresent the figures, then you could be charged under the Fraud Act of 2006 and that is a serious issue. I imagine the relevant authorities will be looking at that.
"There's also the possibility that HMRC - the tax man - might take an interest in this as well because we know from what the commission has said that Man City were paying people in a roundabout way off the books.
"That could mean the National Insurance and the tax that had to be paid wasn't paid. But again, that's something we have to wait and see if HMRC take interest in that.
"Man City still to this day say they have done absolutely nothing wrong and they are very confident that their name will be cleared and their innocence will be established."
Player contracts and potential clauses discussed
MattC asked: If City's punishment is severe - e.g. relegation - would players have a right to cancel their contracts due to the club's irresponsible behaviour?
Solhekol said: "Good question. I don't think you can just rip up your contract but I think you could seek legal advice.
"If you could establish that you signed the contract and the other party to the contract did not make you fully aware of the situation at the club when you signed the contract, then you may be able to walk away from your contract.
"That is something players would need to get legal advice on. It is not something I would totally discount.
"That may or may not have happened [clauses in contracts]. I don't think there would be clauses in the contract about whether, if this judgement goes against us, they can go away [leave].
"No player is going to show me or you their contract."
Why the hearing was conducted in privacy
Matt H asked: Why was the hearing conducted in complete privacy? If it had happened in a High Court, for instance, there would be witnesses, press in attendance and more clarity to what was being said, what was being witnessed and what wasn't being witnessed?
Solhekol said: "This is a point being made by sports lawyers. They say that these proceedings should be open and transparent.
"The issue here is that this is a private matter. Effectively, the Premier League is a very exclusive club, made up of 20 member clubs.
"They have their own rulebook. This is what it says in the rulebook, so why would they open their doors to the likes of you and me to sit in on some very private and confidential proceedings."
