Man City Fined £1 Million for Late Kick-Offs
Manchester City has been fined over £1 million by the Premier League following a series of late kick-offs during the previous season. The club has been penalized for delaying the start or restart of nine matches, with the longest delay occurring during the Manchester derby in December 2024, which resumed two minutes and 24 seconds later than scheduled.
The total fine amounts to £1.08 million, and City has accepted responsibility for the breaches, apologizing to the league. The club has 14 days to pay the fine. This follows a more significant penalty last season, where they were fined £2.09 million for delaying 22 matches.
A Premier League statement emphasized the importance of timely kick-offs for maintaining the professional standards of the competition, ensuring a smooth experience for fans and broadcasters alike. “Rules relating to kick-offs and restarts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard,” the statement read.
City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, acknowledged the issue and indicated that he would work on making team talks shorter to prevent further delays. Last season was a challenging one for the club, as they failed to win any major trophies, which may have contributed to the extended preparation times during matches.
Despite the setbacks, City has shown improvement, achieving a 59% reduction in delays compared to the previous season. However, they remain under scrutiny as they await a verdict on 115 charges related to alleged financial rule breaches, which stem from a four-year investigation into the club’s finances between 2009 and 2018.
City strongly denies all charges and claims to have a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” supporting their position.
