Manchester City And Premier League End Legal Dispute Over APT Rules

• Manchester City and the Premier League have agreed to settle their arbitration case regarding Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules.
• As part of the settlement, City accepted that the current APT rules are “valid and binding.”
• The case is separate from the ongoing 115 charges City face over alleged breaches of financial regulations.

Manchester City and the Premier League confirmed on Monday that they have reached a settlement to “terminate” their legal dispute over the league’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules.

The joint statement issued by both parties read: “The Premier League and Manchester City FC have reached a settlement in relation to the arbitration commenced by the club earlier this year concerning the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) Rules and as a result the parties have agreed to terminate the proceedings. This settlement brings an end to the dispute between the parties regarding the APT Rules. As part of the settlement, Manchester City accepts that the current APT Rules are valid and binding. It has been agreed that neither the Premier League nor the club will be making any further comment about the matter.”

City had launched a legal challenge in February, arguing that amendments to the APT rules were unlawful. The rules had been updated in November 2023 after 16 of the 20 Premier League clubs voted in favour of tightening scrutiny on clubs receiving sponsorship deals and shareholder loans, with the aim of ensuring transactions are assessed at fair market value.

After months of legal wrangling, both sides have now agreed to step away from the proceedings, bringing closure to the case.

The settlement is unrelated to the separate case involving 115 charges levelled against Manchester City by the Premier League for alleged breaches of financial regulations. A hearing into those charges took place between September and December 2024, but a verdict has not yet been delivered. City deny all allegations.

Pep Guardiola’s side will return to league action on Sunday in the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium. They head into the fixture looking to recover from their worst start to a campaign since 2005-06, having already lost two of their opening three games.