Manchester City guilty of almost all 115 financial charges by independent panel

Emiratis have played a pivotal role in transforming Manchester City, once a mediocre team, into one of the world's dominant football clubs over nearly two decades. This transformation, however, now faces significant sanctions and potential relegation from the Premier League. In February 2023, the league charged City with 115 breaches of financial rules and lack of cooperation, accusing the club of creating sham contracts and disguising secret funding for nearly a decade.

The club denies the charges and plans to appeal, with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak remaining confident of their innocence.

Two prominent Emiratis leading this transformation are Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Khaldoon Al Mubarak. Sheikh Mansour, vice-president, deputy prime minister, and chairman of the Presidential Court of the UAE, owns the Abu Dhabi United Group, which bought Manchester City in 2008. As the younger brother of UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed and a key figure in the UAE's state companies, he wields vast wealth and political power.

He is also the chairman of the board of Mubadala, a state-backed fund worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the club's chairman, is the most visible face of the ownership. He oversees a dozen other clubs, including Girona in Spain and New York City in MLS, managed by City Football Group. Mubarak, a prominent figure beyond football, has served as managing director and group CEO for Mubadala Investment Company since 2002. The fund manages US$385 billion in assets across 80 countries. He also holds a seat on the executive council of Abu Dhabi, one of the most powerful non-royal positions in the country.