Manchester City Completes Premier League Dispute Regarding APT Rules

Manchester City has made peace with the Premier League (Instagram/@mancity).

JAKARTA - Manchester City and the Premier League have reached an agreement to end legal disputes over the league's Associated Party Transaction (APT) Procedures after the club accepts that existing rules are legal and binding.

Manchester City and the Premier League released a statement on Monday, September 8, 2025, local time, stating that they had agreed to end the legal process.

This settlement is not related to the trial on 115 charges filed against the Abu Dhabi-owned club by the Premier League for alleged violations of financial regulations.

The trial of 115 charges, which Manchester City denied, was overseen by a three-member panel between September and December 2024.

The verdict has not been reached. In a separate case, Manchester City filed a lawsuit against the Premier League in February 2025, claiming that the amended APT rules violated the law following a 16-4 vote among 20 Premier League clubs in November 2024 in favor of a regulatory update to allow tighter oversight of clubs receiving loans from shareholders.

APT rules are designed to prevent clubs from getting sponsorship deals from related parties deemed to have no fair market value.

Even though it has gone through a long process, both Manchester City and the Premier League have now dropped their lawsuits regarding the latest amendments to APT regulations.

"The Premier League and Manchester City FC have reached an agreement regarding the arbitration started by the club earlier this year regarding the Rules of Transactions of the Premier League (APT). As a result, the parties agreed to end the process," read a statement from Manchester City and the Premier League.

This settlement ended the dispute between the parties regarding the Rules of APT.

As part of this settlement, Manchester City accepts that the current APT rules are legal and binding.

It has been agreed that neither the Premier League nor the club will provide further comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, Manchester City will return to compete in the Premier League on Sunday, September 14, 2025, when they face Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's side are determined to cope with the start of their worst season since 2005/2006 after losing two of their opening three games.