Man City have been fined £1.08m by the Premier League for repeatedly kicking off or restarting matches late last season. Nine of City’s matches last season started or restarted late, with the longest delay coming before the second half of the Manchester derby in December 2024, which resumed two minutes and 24 seconds later than billed.
The Premier League stated that Man City had accepted and apologized for the breaches. A Premier League statement said, “Rules relating to kick-offs and restarts help ensure the organisation of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs. It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule.”
This is not the first time City have faced fined for delays. Last season, they were fined £2.09m for delaying 22 matches. Manager Pep Guardiola said he would try to make his team talks shorter to avoid future delays. City have reduced their delays in the 2024-25 campaign by 59% compared to the previous season.
Man City are currently awaiting a verdict on 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. The club denies all charges and says their case is supported by a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence.” The Premier League’s stance on punctuality is clear, with broadcasters relying on knowing when matches will end.
The fine is part of the Premier League’s efforts to maintain a high professional standard and ensure certainty for fans and participating clubs. City have 14 days to pay the fine.
The club, Man city accepted and apologized for the breaches, which included delays in matches against Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, and Ipswich Town. The longest delays were two minutes and 22 seconds each for restarts against West Ham and Ipswich. These has attracted fines
This recent fine comes after Manchester City was previously fined £2.09 million in August 2024 for 22 breaches of the same rules over two seasons. The Premier League emphasized that rules relating to kick-offs and restarts ensure the competition’s organization is set at the highest professional standard, providing certainty to fans and participating clubs, and ensuring broadcasts are kept to schedule.
Manchester City is also awaiting a verdict on 115 unrelated charges of alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules, which could result in severe consequences, including hefty fines, points deductions, transfer bans, or even expulsion from the Premier League.