Man City have been fined just over £2 million for 22 instances of kick-off delays over the past two seasons. The club apologized for the delays and agreed to pay the fines to the Premier League.
Man City breached the rule 22 times, resulting in fines totaling £2.09 million. These breaches involved taking too long to return to the pitch at half-time or at the start of the match.
The Premier League stated: “The Premier League and Man City FC have entered into a sanction agreement after the club accepted it had breached Premier League Rule L.33 relating to kick-off and re-start obligations. The breaches relate to several Premier League matches during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.”
The statement emphasized that rules regarding kick-offs and re-starts ensure the highest professional standards and provide certainty to fans and participating clubs. Additionally, these rules help maintain the schedule for broadcasting all 380 league matches worldwide. Consequently, the sanction agreement received ratification from three members of the Independent Judicial Panel.
Most fans were likely unaware of the rule that teams cannot delay kick-off at the start of the match or after half-time. For instance, one incident saw City delay kick-off by just 79 seconds, resulting in a £100,000 fine.
In response, the club stated: “The club has apologized and reminded its players and management teams of their responsibilities.”
Moreover, City are still under investigation by the Premier League for 115 charges related to various rulings, including financial stipulations. These charges pertain to regulations breached from the 2009/2010 season until the 2017/18 campaign. However, the Premier League champions deny any wrongdoing.
An independent panel will hold a hearing in November, 18 months after the initial announcement of the charges. Allegedly, City could face relegation if found guilty.
City have won the Premier League four times in a row, an unprecedented feat. They aim to defend their title for a fifth consecutive season next year.
