Breaking News: Man City are fined over £2m for breaking Premier League rule 22 times – as the top flight release statement confirming its champions accept breach of little-known regulation

After 22 distinct incidences, City and the league came to a punishment agreement.
The match against West Ham was delayed by over three minutes in the crucial encounter.
The fines are between £10,000 to £200,000, and City has agreed to the ruling.

The Premier League has fined Manchester City more than £2 million for postponing the start of games.

The league and the winners came to a punishment agreement about 22 distinct charges that were all connected to the previous two seasons.

On the day they won a fourth straight title, City’s final game of the season, a victory over West Ham, was found to have started the second half two minutes and 46 seconds later than planned.

The sanctions vary from £10,000 to £200,000, with the first violation carrying the lowest consequence and the West Ham matchup being the highest.

Eighteen of the events have to do with restarts following the break, and one of those included a delayed kickoff against Newcastle United in August of last year.

The Premier League’s decision was approved by City and confirmed by a three-person independent panel.

According to a Premier League statement, “the breaches relate to a number of Premier League matches during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.”

“Rules pertaining to kick-offs and re-starts help guarantee that the competition is organised to the highest professional standard and give fans and participating clubs certainty.”

Additionally, it guarantees that the 380 League games that are televised globally happen on time.

In a total of 23 late kickoffs over 22 games over the previous two seasons, Pep Guardiola’s team was found to have delayed restarts by 39 minutes and 52 seconds.

The match that clinched their championship was the longest; the second half of that match was postponed. It was played against West Ham.

Two minutes and 33 seconds was the kickoff delay against Everton in December 2022, and two minutes and 34 seconds was the start delay in the home game against Newcastle in August 2023. These were the only two instances of significant delays.

There were 23 delays over 22 instances in that game, including a one-minute and 17-second delay in the second half.

The agreement attested to the fact that “the club has reminded the Club’s football management teams and players of their responsibilities in complying with Rule L.33” in addition to apologising for the acknowledged breaches listed in paragraph 3 above.

Payment must be received within 14 days of this Sanction Agreement’s completion.

The Eagles were penalised for two breaches in 2022, while Crystal Palace was fined for similar offences the previous season.

The much more serious matter of the 115 counts against the city is anticipated to be heard in the upcoming months.

City said it would not comment.