Manchester City’s efforts to challenge the Premier League’s revised Associated Party Transactions (APT) rules fell short on Friday, with only three clubs siding with them in the crucial vote.
City had previously written to all 19 Premier League clubs, arguing that the APT rules, designed to ensure sponsorship deals linked to club owners are at fair market value, were “unlawful.” Despite their push and partial success in an arbitration ruling earlier this year, City’s arguments failed to gain sufficient traction.
In the vote, 16 clubs supported the Premier League’s amendments, comfortably surpassing the 14 required for approval. Everton and Wolves, who had previously opposed stricter APT rules, reversed their stance, leaving only Manchester City, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa in opposition.
Aston Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris publicly supported City’s call to delay the vote by 90 days, but Friday’s meeting ended swiftly, with the Premier League emerging decisively victorious.
Representatives from Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly spoke in favour of the updated rules during the meeting. The amendments, drafted following consultation with expert legal counsel, aim to uphold financial fairness and ensure sponsorships linked to club owners align with fair market value standards.
In response, the Premier League stated: “These amendments address the findings of an Arbitration Tribunal following a legal challenge by Manchester City earlier this year. The updated rules safeguard the financial stability, integrity, and competitive balance of the League.”
While City may pursue further legal action, this vote highlights the growing alignment among Premier League clubs in favour of stricter financial regulations.
