Hearing into City's 115 alleged breaches begins

It has been a long wait, but the independent hearing into Manchester City's alleged 115 breaches of English Premier League financial regulations finally started on Sept 16.

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In what the British media are describing as the "sports trial of the century", a three-person commission will sift through reams of evidence for an estimated 10 weeks, with a verdict expected some time before the current season ends on May 25, 2025.

Defending champions City, who have won four straight English titles, were referred to an independent commission in February 2023, with the various charges dating from 2009 to 2018. They have always denied any wrongdoing.

Should they be found guilty of some or all of the charges, they could face penalties or huge fines, points deductions or demotion from the Premier League. That would also put an asterisk over one of the most successful periods of any club in English football history.