HUGE DEVELOPMENT IN MAN CITY’S WAR WITH THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester City corner flag

The Premier League and Manchester City have reached a settlement in relation to Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules. The parties have agreed to terminate proceedings. As part of the settlement, Manchester City accepts that the current APT Rules are valid and binding.

In a major update, competition officials informed clubs today that an agreement has finally been reached with City. The resolution concludes a prolonged dispute that had overshadowed proceedings for months, providing clarity and drawing a definitive line under one of the biggest sagas in Premier League history.

Manchester City Release Statement After APT Victory

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A statement released by the club reads:

“The Premier League and Manchester City FC have reached a settlement in relation to the arbitration commenced by the club earlier this year concerning the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules and as a result the parties have agreed to terminate the proceedings.

“This settlement brings an end to the dispute between the parties regarding the APT Rules. As part of the settlement, Manchester City accepts that the current APT Rules are valid and binding. It has been agreed that neither the Premier League nor the club will be making any further comment about the matter.”

City have long been locked in a battle with the Premier League, successfully overturning regulations on commercial partnerships with associated parties (APTs) that were judged unlawful.

The dispute began when a proposed deal with Etihad Airways, the club’s shirt sponsor and stadium naming rights holder, was rejected in 2023 for not meeting the league’s ‘fair market value’ (FMV) rules. City responded with a legal challenge, and a tribunal ruled in their favour, declaring the regulations – introduced after Newcastle United’s Saudi-backed takeover – ‘void and unenforceable.’

Following the rejection of their Etihad agreement, City argued that the regulations were anti-competitive and should be considered unlawful. An independent three-member tribunal – comprised of senior legal figures – agreed, ruling that three aspects of the rules were invalid. Among them was the exemption of shareholder loans, often provided with minimal or no interest, from the same fair market value (FMV) checks applied to sponsorship deals.

Despite this, the Premier League attempted to adjust the rules rather than scrap them entirely. City once again pushed back, with the same tribunal panel set to review the matter next month. That hearing has now been cancelled following the new settlement.

Importantly, this case is separate from the Premier League’s wider investigation into more than 115 alleged financial breaches by City. No timeline has yet been set for when that matter will reach its conclusion