Manchester City has appealed after being found in breach of more than 100 Premier League financial rules. According to Independent Football Regulator (IFR) chair David Kogan, the appeal hearing is expected to take place in mid- or late January.
Speaking to Times Radio on Wednesday, Kogan said: "The Premier League says it wants to resolve this within the season. In reality, it is not the Premier League but an independent panel of three judges or retired lawyers that will hear this case."
According to Kogan, the process is set out over 12 weeks, leading many to predict the hearing will be held in mid- or late January. He stressed: "This is not our process but that of the Premier League's independent panel. I think we cannot reach any verdict until everything is completely clear."
Manchester City has repeatedly insisted it did nothing wrong. The club currently tops the Premier League table with six wins from six, after beating Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday.
No sanctions have been announced yet, but Manchester City could face a heavy points deduction leading to relegation. There has even been speculation that they could be stripped of the three Premier League titles won between 2009 and 2018.
The independent panel concluded the club breached financial regulations between 2009 and 2018. Manchester City is accused of using "fake" contracts to inflate revenue and understate reported costs by more than 900 million pounds (equivalent to 1.2 billion US dollars).
On Tuesday, Kogan declared he would resign if there were political interference in any future IFR investigation of Manchester City.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was previously criticised for his initial comments on the case, saying he would be "genuinely concerned" if the Abu Dhabi owners left the club after a verdict. The Prime Minister's office later had to walk back the remark, insisting no one "is above the rules". Burnham, who served as mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until June 2026, has published all of his contacts with Manchester City's leadership.
"We have not been interfered with by anyone since the regulator was established a year ago," Kogan said. "When regulating football, we cannot be subject to political interference in decisions about owners, directors or anything else. And I will not run an organisation that is interfered with to that extent."
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said last week that he has "complete trust" in the club and believes the team will win its appeal.
