Manchester City remain without a final verdict on the 115 charges brought against the club by the Premier League, and Tom Murray — who has followed the case closely — says neither the public nor the lawyers working on it know when the decision will come.
The inquiry began in 2019, the charges were made public in 2023 and the independent commission hearing ran for 10 weeks after it opened in September 2024 and reportedly concluded in December 2024, yet a written ruling has not been released.
The scale is stark: 115 charges covering a nine‑year stretch beginning in 2009, with allegations that include financial disclosure issues and other rule breaches. Murray said plainly, "I don't think anyone knows," and added that "I've spoken to barristers working on the case, and even they don't know when the decision will be released."
Manchester City deny any misconduct and say they hold irrefutable evidence to support their position. The supplementary material around the case says the charges largely concern alleged financial rule breaches between 2009 and 2018 and include multiple counts that the club failed to co‑operate with the Premier League's investigation between December 2018 and February 2023.
That context helps explain why the case has dragged. The allegations span a nine‑year period that began in 2009, and the documentation involved is complex: the record lists dozens of separate allegations and alleged violations that the commission had to examine. The hearing itself lasted 10 weeks from September 2024; compiling a written finding on that material is the next step before any sanction could be imposed.
The delay, however, has exposed a friction point everyone involved can see. Murray said he expects the club to be found liable on at least some counts — "What do I think the outcome is going to be? I think Manchester City are going to be found liable, in breach of something" — and warned the process will likely be prolonged. "With the number of charges there are I don't think they are going to get away with this," he said, adding that "this is going to be strung out for as long as possible and I think we can expect an appeal and we'll be back in the same position." He even suggested timelines could stretch: "In two years' time, it wouldn't be surprising if we still don't have a final outcome."
Not everyone shares Murray's pessimism about timing. Stefan Borson said he thought a decision was imminent: "I think it's coming quite soon, but then we have said that before, right?" He added, "My best guess and the kind of feeling in the parties is that it will come at the end of the season," and, more specifically, "June would be most likely, that's the feeling." Yet Borson also expressed frustration with the pace, calling the delay "ridiculous territory" and saying "18 months to write up a decision in a private arbitration is clearly ridiculous." He told journalists that, "As I understand it, there are no special reasons why it’s not come out," and that "The original panel just simply hasn’t finished writing it up or hadn’t as of a few weeks ago."
The practical effect is clear: a large, precedent‑shaping case in English football has reached the end of its oral evidence phase but remains unresolved on paper. If the commission's written decision finds City liable, Murray and others expect an immediate appeal, which means any final outcome could be delayed further even after a ruling is published.
For now, Manchester City, the Premier League and those watching the man city charges are left with a procedural limbo — a completed hearing but no finished judgment — and the clearest fact is this: until the commission files its decision, the football world will be waiting, and history suggests the wait might be measured in months or even years.
