Manchester City and the Premier League have reached a settlement in their long-running dispute concerning regulations on commercial deals, Afrosport reports.
City have now accepted that the rules governing Associated Party Transactions (APTs) are valid and binding. The club had previously challenge the regulation, arguing that the regulations were “unlawful”.
In a joint statement, both parties confirmed: “Neither the Premier League nor the club will be making any further comment about the matter.”
The settlement follows a 2024 arbitration panel ruling that found against aspects of the Premier League’s APT framework. The rules were introduced in December 2021, shortly after Newcastle United’s Saudi-led takeover, with the intention of preventing inflated sponsorship agreements linked to club owners.
City had strongly opposed amendments to the APT rules, which were voted through in November 2024 by a majority of Premier League clubs despite resistance from City, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. The Manchester side argued that the changes breached competition law and unfairly restricted shareholder loans.
Both sides attended a two-day hearing earlier this year before finally agreeing to draw a line under the legal battle, which is understood to have cost millions in legal fees.
City, however, remain under the spotlight as they await the outcome of a landmark disciplinary case concerning more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations — charges the club firmly denies.
