Manchester City could be forced to change ownership if the club’s appeal against a verdict over alleged financial rule breaches fails, with England’s Independent Football Regulator (IFR) insisting it has the authority to compel the sale.
The regulator’s chairman, David Kogan, said the body had the power to require owners to relinquish control if they were found to have operated a club in a manner that failed to meet the required standards of propriety and responsible management.
Kogan made the remarks during an appearance on The Rest Is Football podcast, where he discussed the regulator’s powers and the ongoing controversy surrounding the Premier League champions.
Asked whether an owner could refuse to sell if the regulator ordered a divestment, Kogan responded that the IFR had “absolute power” to enforce such a decision.
The comments have intensified attention on Manchester City’s ownership under Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose investment transformed the club into one of the most successful sides in English football following his 2008 takeover.
An independent commission recently found Manchester City guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial regulations covering the period between 2009 and 2018. The findings included alleged improper commercial arrangements and failures to cooperate fully with the league’s investigation.
The commission concluded that the club had used commercial arrangements it described as sham transactions to inflate revenues or reduce costs by more than £900 million over nine seasons.
Manchester City has rejected the findings and lodged an appeal, arguing that the verdict contains significant errors of law, principle and fact. The club maintains its position that it has not committed the alleged wrongdoing.
Kogan cautioned against drawing conclusions about the regulator’s next steps while the appeal process remains unresolved. He said the IFR would consider the available evidence before deciding whether to launch its own investigation and what action, if any, might be appropriate.
The regulator’s potential involvement adds another layer to a case that has already attracted widespread attention because of its implications for English football’s financial governance.
The controversy has also raised political and diplomatic sensitivities because of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, where Manchester City’s owner is a prominent political figure.
Kogan has previously warned that he would resign if political interference affected any investigation undertaken by the regulator, stressing the importance of independence in the process.
The case is being closely watched across English football, with possible consequences for the club’s ownership and wider governance still uncertain.
For now, Manchester City’s future remains tied to the outcome of its appeal. Any decision to force a sale would depend on the applicable regulatory process and the findings reached after the relevant proceedings have concluded.
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