England’s top football league and Manchester City Football Club said Monday they have resolved their arbitration dispute concerning rules that govern transactions between clubs and businesses linked to club owners.
In a joint statement, the Premier League and Manchester City confirmed they had reached a settlement over the league’s associated party transactions (APT) rules, the most recent version of which was adopted in November 2023. As part of the agreement, the club acknowledged that the APT rules are “valid and binding.”
City’s Challenge and Allegations
Manchester City had previously alleged that the APT regulations were anti-competitive and inconsistent with principles of public law. The rules regulate commercial transactions between clubs and related-party entities to ensure that all deals are struck at fair market value, thereby preventing inflated sponsorships or financial manipulations.
The dispute stemmed from the league’s conclusion in 2023 that two of City’s sponsorship agreements — one with Abu Dhabi Bank and another with the Etihad Aviation Group — did not reflect fair value. City challenged the league’s decision, arguing that the APT framework itself was unlawful.
