LaLiga President Javier Tebas has launched a scathing critique against the Premier League, accusing the English top flight of administrative paralysis regarding the 115 financial charges levied against Manchester City. Speaking on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London, Tebas argued that the three-year stalemate since the initial filing of charges has severely compromised the league’s integrity. He pointed to the stark contrast in treatment between the reigning champions and smaller entities, noting that clubs like Everton, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester City have all faced swift disciplinary actions and points deductions for similar fiscal infractions during the same period.
The Spanish executive suggested that the protracted nature of the investigation has created a perception of “impunity” for the Manchester club, which continues to dominate the league while the legal process remains shrouded in secrecy. According to Tebas, this perceived double standard is causing significant unrest among other English clubs, who are closely monitoring the situation as a litmus test for the Premier League’s commitment to its own regulatory framework. He emphasized that the absence of a definitive ruling more than three years after the allegations surfaced reflects a broader failure to hold the competition’s most powerful stakeholders accountable.
“Other clubs are watching what’s happening and seeing how things are being dealt with.” “It’s okay if you get fined or lose points for not following the rules. “But City seem to be getting away with it, which weakens the Premier League as an organization.”
The criticism comes as Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters continues to decline comment on the specific timeline of the independent commission, which concluded its 12-week hearing in December 2024. Despite the hearing being wrapped up for over a year, no public verdict has been issued, leaving the global football community in a state of “uncertainty.” Tebas argued that this lack of legal certainty is “damaging” to the brand of the Premier League, as it undermines the objectivity and fairness that a world-class sporting institution is expected to uphold.
As the 2025/26 season enters its final quarter, the pressure on the Premier League to provide a resolution has reached a fever pitch. Financial experts have suggested that if the more serious allegations of corporate fraud are proven, Manchester City could face an unprecedented points deduction—potentially ranging from 40 to 60 points—which would fundamentally alter the landscape of English football. For Tebas, however, the damage to the league’s reputation as a fair regulator has already been done by the sheer length of the delay, a situation he believes would never be tolerated under the stricter Financial Fair Play rules implemented in Spain.
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