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English football’s Independent Regulator (IFR) possesses “absolute power” to force Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners to divest their stake if authorities determine they operated the club improperly, watchdog chair David Kogan warned.
Speaking on “The Rest is Football” podcast, Kogan confirmed that the regulatory body holds full authority to compel an owner to step down if management fails to uphold standards of fitness, fairness, or propriety.
The warning follows a ruling by an independent commission that found Premier League leaders Manchester City guilty of over 100 financial rule violations between 2009 and 2018.
While the club denies all wrongdoing and has lodged an appeal against the verdict, they face severe regulatory penalties—including potential ownership sanctions—unless they overturn the findings on appeal.
The high-stakes disciplinary case continues to create political tension for the UK government as it attempts to protect diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates without compromising regulatory independence.
Downing Street recently clarified that no entity remains above football regulations after Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced scrutiny for voicing concern over the potential departure of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan’s ownership group.
Kogan further stated he would resign immediately if political figures attempt to interfere in any IFR investigation involving the club.
