Manchester City Owners Face Stunning Warning as Football Regulator Reveals Power to Force a Sale

Manchester City have received a significant warning from England’s newly established Independent Football Regulator (IFR), with its chair, David Kogan, confirming that the organisation has the authority to force the club’s owners to sell if serious concerns about their management are established.

The comments have added another layer of uncertainty to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Premier League champions, whose ownership and financial affairs remain under scrutiny following an independent commission’s findings on alleged breaches of financial regulations. The club has appealed against the verdict.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Kogan made it clear that the regulator would not hesitate to exercise its powers if the circumstances justified such action.

“We have the power to ask an owner to step away from a club if we believe that they run a club in a way that is neither fit, fair or done with propriety,” Kogan explained.

When asked whether an owner could refuse to sell, the IFR chair responded firmly, saying the regulator had “absolute power” to enforce such a decision. His remarks have raised questions about the potential consequences for City’s Abu Dhabi-backed ownership should the club’s appeal fail.

The controversy follows an independent commission’s finding that Manchester City circumvented Premier League financial rules between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons. According to the published findings, commercial arrangements were used to inflate revenues or reduce costs by more than £900 million during the period.

The commission also found that the club had breached several obligations relating to cooperation with the Premier League’s investigation.

Manchester City, however, have challenged the verdict, arguing that it contains significant errors of law, principle and fact. The club’s appeal means the situation remains subject to further legal proceedings, and no final outcome should be assumed before that process is completed.

Kogan has therefore cautioned against rushing to conclusions about whether the IFR will launch its own investigation or take action against the club. He stressed that the regulator must first consider the relevant findings and circumstances before deciding on its next steps.

The case also carries potential political sensitivities because of the links between City’s ownership and Abu Dhabi. Kogan has previously insisted that he would resign if political interference affected the regulator’s work, underlining his commitment to its independence.

For Manchester City supporters, the latest developments represent a serious off-field concern at a time when the club continues to compete at the highest level. However, the regulator’s warning does not mean that a forced sale is imminent.

Ultimately, the next significant step will depend on the outcome of the club’s appeal and any subsequent decision by the IFR. For now, the message from the watchdog is unmistakable: football club ownership comes with responsibilities, and even the wealthiest owners are not necessarily beyond regulatory intervention.

The coming months could prove crucial in determining whether the dispute remains a legal battle or develops into a wider question about Manchester City’s future ownership.

Source https://x.com/Soccer_Laduma/status/2112911849750422015