Man City face huge points deduction set to force relegation
Manchester City face the prospect of a huge points deduction that would virtually guarantee their relegation from the Premier League this season, according to reports published by journalist Oliver Holt
Insiders have indicated that the most likely sanction is a substantial points penalty designed to ensure the club drop into the Championship, accompanied by a large fine. There is also the possibility of an additional points deduction that could effectively keep them in the second tier for a second season.
The reports emerge just weeks after an independent commission found City guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules spanning a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. The panel concluded that the club had used “sham” sponsorship deals to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900m, while also finding the majority of charges relating to a failure to co-operate with the league’s investigation proven.
City have lodged an appeal against the verdict, insisting the decision contains material errors and maintaining their innocence. The appeal process is not expected to conclude before the end of January 2027 at the earliest. However, sources suggest the Premier League is keen for any punishment to be announced and potentially applied before that outcome is known.
Expulsion from the Premier League altogether is viewed as unlikely. Such a step would create significant practical difficulties for both the top flight and the English Football League, and is considered self-defeating by those familiar with the process. Instead, the preferred route appears to be a points sanction severe enough to force relegation while allowing the club the chance to rebuild.
City, currently managed by Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola’s departure, have made a strong start to the 2026-27 campaign. Yet even a dominant season on the pitch may not be enough if the reported scale of the deduction materialises. Analysts have previously modelled that deductions in the region of 50 to 80 points, or higher, would leave the club with little realistic hope of survival.
No official sanction has yet been confirmed. A separate independent panel will determine the punishment if the appeal fails. For now, the club continue to compete under a cloud of uncertainty that has hung over them since the original 115 charges were brought in 2023. The coming months will determine whether one of English football’s most successful sides of the modern era is forced to start again in the Championship.
