New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- Manchester City have been found guilty of the Premier League's financial-rule charges for the nine seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18, in a verdict that goes to the money behind the club's rise. An independent commission said £830.69 million of sponsorship income booked in that period. It means about $1.08 billion was paid by the club's Abu Dhabi owners, not by the sponsors named on the deals. However, City rejected the finding and have until Friday, 2 October 2026, to appeal.

The Premier League said Manchester City arranged "sham" contracts with commercial partners, and relied on "sham" agreements with others, "to artificially inflate the club's revenues and reduce its costs." It called the main device a disguised...