A panel found that Manchester City broke Premier League rules for nine seasons. Now Abu Dhabi has warned Britain that a harsh punishment could cost it future investment, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
Manchester City’s chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, also runs Abu Dhabi state investment fund Mubadala, which has committed nearly £30 billion to UK investments through a UK-UAE partnership.
Understanding the Charges Against Man City
On September 29, the Premier League confirmed the guilty verdict. The panel found City used sham sponsorship deals. Reportedly, they inflated revenue and cut reported costs by more than £900 million.
“The core decision details how the club systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade,” said Richard Masters, Chief Executive of the Premier League.
City denies wrongdoing and lodged an appeal on Thursday. Punishment has not been set. It could range from a fine to expulsion.
How the Man City Verdict Reaches Britain’s Economy
The club and the cash share one boss. Khaldoon Al Mubarak chairs City. He also runs Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi state investment fund.
Mubadala leads a UK-UAE investment pact signed in 2021 as a £10 billion pledge. It has since drawn about £30 billion, the Financial Times reported. The same fund also owns shares in a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, which trades like a stock.
On September 14, Al Mubarak reportedly met Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds privately in Downing Street. That was 15 days before the verdict was published.
Bloomberg’s sources said talks covered defence, security, intelligence, and trade. They said the City case never came up.
“If Man City don’t get a severe punishment the Premier League is finished btw. Everyone will know it’s because the UEA threaten the UK and the league will just be known as forever corrupt and likely fall off worse than the Serie A,” one user commented.
Downing Street Says City is Not Above the Rules
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC he would be really concerned to lose City’s Abu Dhabi owners. Reportedly, the remark drew a backlash, and his office stepped in.
“As the Prime Minister made clear, the initial judgment is serious and there can’t be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules,” LBC reported, citing a Downing Street spokesperson.
Britain has crossed Abu Dhabi before. In 2024, it blocked a Telegraph newspaper bid backed by Sheikh Mansour, City’s owner. UAE money kept flowing into Britain afterwards.
Meanwhile, there is also speculation that China and Saudi Arabia may be positioning to benefit from the fallout.