CORNERFLICK
Manchester City’s financial exposure if they are punished by the Premier League could run far beyond points deductions or fines, with one analyst warning that relegation would wipe out around £500 million a season.
Revenue hit from every angle
City are facing 114 alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018 and deny wrongdoing, while the Premier League considers penalties ranging from a points deduction to relegation to the Championship.
Kieran Maguire, a football finance specialist, says the biggest blow would come from broadcasting income, matchday revenue and sponsorship. He estimates the drop in TV money alone at about £225 million, while corporate demand for VIP boxes would fall sharply in the second tier.
He also expects major global sponsors to cut their payments if City were outside the Premier League or European competition. Maguire said supporters would still turn up, pointing to Leeds United as an example, but the club’s income base would take a heavy hit.
Wages would not fit the Championship
Championship clubs can spend only 85% of income on players and staff, and the average wage bill in 2024-25 was about £37 million. Even Leeds, top of the list, were on £102.7 million, still well short of City’s scale.
That makes the current contracts of Erling Haaland and other leading players hard to carry. Haaland is reported to earn £525,000 a week, or £27 million a year, while Enzo Fernández is on £18 million, Phil Foden £16 million and Jérémy Doku £15 million. Maguire warned that if City could not manage a mass exit, the club would face a financial disaster under FFP rules.