Two senior figures from separate elite Premier League clubs told Sky Sports News they would be "staggered" and "astonished" if a majority of the 20 clubs—specifically fifteen—voted to remove Manchester City from the competition. They argued that such a decision would amount to a "self‑inflicted commercial disaster" for the league as a whole.
The independent commission that has been investigating City’s financial affairs has a menu of possible penalties at its disposal. Earlier this week the panel concluded that the club had breached 114 of the 115 alleged offences relating to alleged financial mismanagement. While expulsion is the most severe sanction, the commission could also impose a hefty fine, a points deduction, a transfer embargo or a combination of these measures.
Manchester City have consistently maintained that they did nothing wrong and have pledged to appeal any ruling that finds them guilty. In the meantime, Sky Sports News reports that discussions are still ongoing among the chief executives of other Premier League clubs, both within individual clubs and in inter‑club forums, as they consider how best to respond to the commission’s findings. Some clubs are already weighing the legal ramifications of a potential financial claim against City, should the sanctions prove punitive enough to affect the market. A surprising twist has emerged: many rival clubs view City as a cornerstone of the league’s commercial appeal, both domestically and internationally.
According to an unnamed executive, voting to expel the club would be "cutting off their noses to spite their faces." He explained that removing City would trigger massive commercial fallout for every club, ultimately costing them a great deal of revenue. If expulsion were to be enacted during the current season or the next, the league would be left with only nineteen clubs to fulfil the remaining fixtures.
Broadcasters in the United Kingdom and abroad would likely demand refunds or renegotiated deals because the total number of games – and the star power attached to them – would be reduced. Sponsorship deals and other corporate funding streams could also shrink, as the most dominant English side of the past two decades would no longer be part of the product that sponsors pay to associate with. The ramifications would extend beyond finance.
The futures of marquee players such as Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and their teammates would become uncertain, further eroding the Premier League’s global attractiveness. One source summed up the sentiment by calling expulsion "a risk not worth taking." Another layer of complexity is the potential precedent set by top clubs defying the commission’s recommended sanction.
Some factions within the league believe that allowing City to stay would damage the competition’s integrity and brand, arguing that a prolonged absence from the top flight – even at the cost of short‑term financial pain – might be necessary to safeguard the league’s long‑term image. These divergent views among Premier League clubs will not influence the independent commission’s decision, but they could become decisive if the clubs are called upon to vote on an expulsion. Should the commission recommend removal and the clubs collectively reject it, the outcome would be unprecedented, leaving the governing bodies unsure of what further penalties, if any, could be imposed on City. Sky Sports News also sought opinions from the Championship regarding the prospect of City dropping into the second tier.
If City were expelled from the Premier League, the Football Association and the English Football League would decide their fate, with a vote required from all 72 clubs across the two divisions. A majority would determine whether City would be placed directly into the Championship or forced to start lower in the pyramid. One senior Championship director argued that City’s arrival would bring no benefit to the second tier.
He warned that the club’s massive financial resources would dwarf those of existing Championship sides, allowing City to dominate and likely secure immediate promotion, thereby robbing other clubs of a promotion slot. "The finances are so big they'd just blow the Championship away and go straight back up," he said, emphasizing that the competitive balance would be shattered.
Another Championship official stressed the need to protect the integrity of the entire English football pyramid, not just the Premier League. He suggested that City should not be allowed to simply slip into the Championship upon expulsion; instead, they should earn their way back up through the normal promotion process. A further source from the Championship expressed uncertainty about the whole situation, noting that speculation is rampant and that no one can predict the final outcome.
He hoped that the interests of EFL clubs would be taken into account and that any decision would be fair. In summary, while the independent commission holds the authority to impose a range of sanctions on Manchester City, the potential commercial, sporting and reputational fallout of expulsion has led many top‑flight executives to caution against such a drastic step. The debate continues to unfold, with both Premier League and Championship stakeholders weighing the possible consequences for the future of English football.