Manchester City Fined £2 Million for Kick-Off Delays

Manchester City has been fined £2.09 million ($2.68 million, 2.48 million euros) by the Premier League for 22 instances of delaying kick-offs or restarts, as announced on Wednesday. The English champions have accepted the penalty, which pertains to rule infringements over the last two seasons.

Details of the Infringements

The longest delay recorded was two minutes and 46 seconds at the start of the final game of the season against West Ham, during which City secured their fourth successive English title. The first instance, a delay of one minute and 18 seconds during the second half against Crystal Palace in August 2022, resulted in a warning. Subsequent breaches led to fines ranging from £10,000 to £200,000 per offense.

Premier League’s Statement

A statement from the Premier League said, “The Premier League and Manchester City FC have entered into a sanction agreement after the club accepted it had breached Premier League Rule L.33 relating to kick-off and restart obligations.”

The league emphasized that the rules ensure the highest professional standards for competition organization and provide certainty to fans and participating clubs. They also help maintain the broadcast schedule for all 380 league matches worldwide.

City’s Response

While Manchester City has not commented directly, the ruling noted that the club apologized for the breaches and reminded its players and management of their responsibilities to comply with Rule L.33.

Unrelated Financial Charges

It’s important to note that this issue is separate from the 115 charges City faces for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations.