Man City HMRC investigation revealed after ‘sham’ Premier League verdict

HM Revenue & Customs reportedly conducted a civil probe into Manchester City's tax affairs in 2018 following leaked internal emails, according to the Financial Times. The revelation follows an independent commission finding the club guilty of all but one charge brought by the Premier League, ruling that City inflated finances by over £900m via sham commercial deals.

The HMRC inquiry, carried out under Code of Practice 8 for suspected complex tax avoidance, was reportedly never formally closed and resulted in no action taken. Manchester City vehemently denies any wrongdoing and formally submitted an appeal on October 1, 2026, arguing that the Premier League verdict contains significant material errors.