Manchester City are now facing the risk of being excluded from the Champions League, in addition to being excluded from various local competitions and the Club World Cup, if found guilty of committing serious violations of the Financial Fair Play rules regarding profitability and sustainability, against the backdrop of the many charges brought against them.
The British newspaper "The Telegraph" revealed in a report that the Premier League champions in the last 4 seasons are now threatened with exclusion from participating in local league competitions, the FA Cup, and the League Cup. There is no guarantee for them to participate in the Champions League and the 2025 Club World Cup as well.
The Sky Blues face between 115 and 130 charges due to potential violations of the Financial Fair Play rules, with demands from local clubs for severe penalties beyond point deductions. This penalty was previously imposed on teams for minor violations, such as Everton last season, and these clubs won’t be satisfied with City simply being relegated to a lower division, according to "The Telegraph."
Article 31 of the FA Cup rules states: "Where a club is admitted to the competition but is subsequently expelled from the league in which it competes (or its league matches are suspended), the Professional Football Association may remove the club from the competition."
Will Manchester City be excluded from the Champions League?
The rules governing the Champions League are more complex, as teams must obtain a UEFA licence to play in European competitions. It may be difficult for Manchester City to obtain such a licence if they are excluded from FA-sponsored competitions such as the Premier League and FA Cup.
As for participation in the expanded 2025 Club World Cup, which City secured after winning the Champions League the season before last, it is still unclear whether they will be allowed to participate if a decision is made to exclude them from various domestic competitions.
Manchester City have repeatedly denied any financial wrongdoing before and since being charged by the Premier League, stating they have a comprehensive body of evidence to support their case. The club aims to resolve the matter once and for all, with their legal team having worked over the past few weeks to close the case.
It’s worth noting that Manchester City had a slow start to the Champions League in its new format, drawing 0-0 at home to Inter Milan on Wednesday, although they currently lead the Premier League with 12 points after four rounds.