A German newspaper released leaked documents, including emails said to have been exchanged by senior City officials—some of whom remain part of the City Football Group—over several seasons following the club’s 2008 takeover by Abu Dhabi owners.
The documents allegedly indicated that the club overstated sponsorship income linked to state-owned airline Etihad and state-controlled telecommunications company Etisalat. They claimed that direct funding from Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) was routed through the companies’ accounts and presented as sponsorship revenue.
According to the allegations, this arrangement was designed to comply with Uefa’s FFP regulations, introduced in 2011, and the Premier League’s PSR rules, implemented in 2012, both of which restrict the losses clubs are allowed to record.
Additional claims of inaccurate financial reporting later emerged, focusing on documents that appeared to describe undisclosed payments to former manager Roberto Mancini through consultancy fees paid by an Abu Dhabi club.
The club was also accused of paying players more than the amounts officially declared in its accounts, making its recorded expenditure appear lower than the actual total.
City has consistently stated that ADUG is a private investment fund rather than a state entity. The club declined to address the leaked material, arguing that the emails had been obtained unlawfully and were part of an effort to harm its reputation.
City and the companies concerned firmly rejected allegations that they had breached financial regulations. Nevertheless, the claims prompted Uefa and the Premier League to open investigations.
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