Could Man City be kicked out of the Champions League if appeal over 115 charges fails?

Manchester City could face exclusion from the Champions League if their appeal against the Premier League's financial charges fails, although an immediate European ban is not automatic.

An independent commission found Man City guilty of serious financial rule breaches covering nine seasons between 2009-10 and 2017-18, as well as the majority of charges relating to their failure to cooperate with the Premier League's investigation, though the club lodged an appeal on October 1, disputing the findings and maintaining their innocence.

With City competing in the 2026-27 Champions League, the case raises questions about whether UEFA could intervene this season, impose a future European ban or punish the club in other ways.

Could Man City be kicked out of this season's Champions League?

Yes, UEFA's rules allow it to disqualify a club from a competition in progress, but City's appeal failing would not automatically trigger that punishment.

Article 6 of UEFA's 2026 Disciplinary Regulations lists disqualification from ongoing competitions and exclusion from future competitions among the available sanctions. Other measures include fines, points deductions, withholding competition revenue and restrictions on player registration.

However, the Premier League and UEFA operate under separate regulatory frameworks, and even if City's appeal fails, UEFA would need to assess the findings under its own rules before deciding whether disciplinary action was justified.

Five of the charges upheld against City concerned breaches of UEFA's financial regulations, giving European football's governing body grounds to examine the case; nevertheless, a domestic verdict does not automatically require UEFA to expel the club.

Removing City midway through the Champions League would also raise questions about the remaining fixtures and results already recorded.

Such complications would not prevent UEFA from imposing a justified sanction, but they underline why immediate expulsion should not be treated as inevitable.

Could UEFA ban Man City from future European competitions?

A ban from a future Champions League campaign is another possibility under UEFA's disciplinary framework.

If UEFA concludes that the findings establish relevant breaches of its own regulations, it could consider excluding City from a subsequent European competition.

Such a sanction could prevent the club from participating even if they qualified through their Premier League position.

The length of any potential ban remains unknown, however, and it would be premature to predict a particular punishment before UEFA has made a decision.

City have faced UEFA sanctions before, with the club receiving a two-season European ban and a €30m fine over alleged financial reporting breaches in February 2020.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the ban and reduced the fine to €10m, citing issues including time-barred allegations and insufficient evidence for certain charges.

That precedent demonstrates both UEFA's ability to impose severe sanctions and the possibility of a successful appeal.

However, it does not determine the outcome of the current case, which concerns a separate investigation and a different set of proceedings.

What other punishments could Man City face?

Exclusion from Europe is not UEFA's only option, as the governing body could impose a fine, withhold Champions League revenue or restrict the number of players City can register for European competition.

A prohibition on registering new players in UEFA competitions is also among the available measures. Depending on its terms, such a restriction could complicate squad planning without necessarily preventing City from entering the Champions League.

Meanwhile, the Premier League case could have domestic consequences of its own, as potential sanctions include a points deduction, a substantial fine or, in the most severe scenario, expulsion from the English top flight.

These punishments must be considered separately, and a Premier League points deduction would not automatically remove City from the Champions League, while UEFA exclusion would not itself relegate them from the domestic league.

Any domestic punishment could nevertheless affect City's league position and their ability to qualify for future European campaigns on sporting merit.

When will Man City learn their fate?

City's appeal must be resolved before the Premier League proceedings reach their next stage, with the club's challenge currently disputing the commission's findings.

UEFA's disciplinary process would be separate, meaning an unsuccessful domestic appeal would not necessarily result in an immediate European ruling.

For now, City remain involved in the 2026-27 Champions League, with no confirmed decision to remove them from the competition.

Ultimately, UEFA has the power to expel Manchester City from this season's Champions League or ban them from future campaigns, but neither outcome is automatic if their Premier League appeal fails.

The decisive factors will be UEFA's assessment of the evidence, the regulations applicable to the case and the sanction it considers appropriate.