The chair of the newly established
An independent panel previously determined that the club, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, had artificially inflated its revenue by more than $1 billion over a nine-year period spanning from 2009 to 2018. During this timeframe, the club secured three league titles and recruited several high-profile players, establishing a period of dominance in English football. The findings have sparked significant scrutiny, particularly given the club's ownership by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and deputy prime minister of the UAE.
Regulatory Independence and Licensing Standards
Addressing concerns regarding the potential for diplomatic or political pressure, Kogan emphasized that his organization has remained entirely free from external influence. He stated that he has experienced no political pressure on this or any other matter and does not anticipate any in the future. Kogan’s remarks follow comments from U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who expressed concern regarding the potential loss of the club's current ownership but clarified that he would not intervene directly in the regulatory process.
The Independent Football Regulator was formed by the British government last year to establish and enforce governance standards across the sport. A key component of this mandate involves the issuance of operating licenses to clubs, a process scheduled to commence in November. Kogan clarified that the current guilty verdict would not immediately impact the licensing process for Manchester City, as the club is currently exercising its right to appeal the panel's decision.
Kogan noted that the regulator would wait for the conclusion of the legal process before determining the impact on the club's standing. He confirmed that once the appeal process is finalized, the resulting verdict will be a critical factor in the regulator's assessment when reviewing the club's license, as well as the suitability of its owners, directors, and senior executives. For now, the regulator remains in a holding pattern as the legal proceedings continue to unfold.
