Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has broken his silence following reports surrounding the long-running Premier League financial case, telling supporters that the club remains confident in its position and determined to continue fighting through the legal process.
Al Mubarak addressed Manchester City supporters in an open letter published on Saturday, following widespread reports that an independent commission had found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 financial charges brought by the Premier League.
The chairman acknowledged that the latest developments had created considerable discussion among supporters, particularly after reports about the commission’s findings emerged in the media. However, he urged fans not to draw final conclusions while the legal process remains ongoing.
Al Mubarak, who has been Manchester City’s chairman since 2008, said he had spent 18 years as part of the club and understood how deeply Manchester City matters to supporters.
He explained that he had received questions from family members, friends and others following Friday’s reports, just as supporters had been questioned about the situation.
His message to them, he said, was straightforward: the Premier League process still has a long way to run and Manchester City’s confidence and determination to establish its position remain as strong as when the case began.
The chairman also explained why the club has not provided supporters with a detailed response to every allegation and reported finding.
According to Al Mubarak, the legal proceedings remain subject to strict confidentiality, preventing the club from publicly discussing some of the evidence and arguments involved in the case. He said even his latest letter had gone through several legal checks before it was released to supporters.
That restriction is particularly significant because the financial case has been running for several years. The Premier League formally charged Manchester City in February 2023 following a lengthy investigation into alleged breaches covering multiple seasons. Reports on Friday indicated that the independent commission had found City guilty on 114 of the 115 charges, although the full reasoning and sanction remain subject to the ongoing legal process.
Manchester City have consistently denied wrongdoing and have maintained their intention to defend the club’s position.
Al Mubarak’s latest statement therefore represents a continuation of that stance rather than an acceptance of the reported findings. He told supporters that, despite the extensive coverage and public debate surrounding the case, the club’s position had not changed.
The chairman also referred to what he described as people seeking to undermine Manchester City’s momentum, insisting that the club would remain focused on its future rather than allow the controversy to disrupt its progress.
His message comes at a particularly significant point in City’s season. Following the international break, the club has major fixtures ahead, including a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool and a Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium.
Al Mubarak highlighted those matches as opportunities for supporters and the club to come together, stressing the importance of maintaining unity during a period of intense external attention.
The chairman’s intervention is also notable because of his long association with Manchester City’s transformation. He joined the club’s board in September 2008 and has overseen an era in which City developed into one of the most successful clubs in English football.
Manchester City’s own annual report has previously highlighted the club’s continued investment in its football operation, infrastructure and wider development. In the 2024/25 annual report, Al Mubarak described the club’s third-place Premier League finish and qualification for a 15th consecutive Champions League campaign as disappointing by City’s heightened standards, while expressing confidence in the club’s long-term direction.
The latest financial case, however, presents a separate and potentially significant challenge.
Reports surrounding the commission’s findings have already triggered discussions about possible consequences and potential legal action from other Premier League clubs. Some rival clubs are understood to have taken steps to preserve their legal positions in relation to possible financial claims.
For Manchester City, the immediate focus remains the legal process and any subsequent appeal or challenge to the findings. The club has yet to receive a final outcome that would bring every aspect of the case to an end.
Al Mubarak’s message to supporters was therefore one of patience and continued confidence. Rather than allowing the latest reports to define the club’s future, the chairman called on supporters to remain united as Manchester City prepares for another demanding sequence of domestic and European fixtures.
The coming weeks could consequently prove important both on and off the pitch, with City’s legal battle continuing alongside a Premier League campaign and Champions League schedule that will again place the club under intense scrutiny.
For now, Al Mubarak’s position is clear: Manchester City intends to continue contesting the case, while the club’s leadership believes the legal process has not yet reached its final chapter.
