Man City Could Face Premier League Expulsion If FFP Case Goes Against Them, Says Finance Expert

Manchester City could find themselves removed from the Premier League entirely if the worst-case scenario unfolds in their Financial Fair Play proceedings, according to Stefan Borson, a former financial advisor to the club.

The Citizens are defending themselves against more than 100 charges alleging breaches of Premier League FFP regulations spanning 2009 to 2018. An independent commission has been overseeing the matter following a four-year investigation into their conduct.

Potential sanctions available to the commission include substantial financial penalties, transfer restrictions, or outright expulsion from the league. City have maintained their innocence throughout the process.

Borson revealed that the case structure involves two distinct phases. The first hearing examined the question of liability, with a second hearing scheduled to determine appropriate punishment should the club be found culpable at that initial stage.

Speaking to Football Insider, Borson outlined the most severe scenario: "If everything goes against Manchester City, they will not be in the Premier League. That will either be because of a point deduction that makes it impossible for them to be in the Premier League, by expulsion from the Premier League under the Premier League rules or some other way."

The independent commission operates under rule W of Premier League regulations, which grants substantial discretion in determining sanctions. "They have a lot of flexibility. They can make all sorts of recommendations," Borson explained.

Speculation has previously suggested City could receive a 60-point deduction if found guilty, though Borson dismissed such estimates as little more than conjecture. "Whether it's 40 points, 60 points, whatever, it's all largely irrelevant at this stage because nobody knows and everybody's guessing," he said.

Borson stressed that while expulsion remains a possibility if the commission rules comprehensively against Manchester City, he does not anticipate that outcome. "If everything went against Manchester City, and as I've said before that's not my expectation, but if it did, City are unlikely to remain in the Premier League," he added.

The City case concluded towards the end of 2024, though little detail has emerged about the potential verdict in the year since. The club previously emerged favourably from a separate dispute with the Premier League over Associated Party Transactions, which may explain their apparent confidence in their current position.