Manchester City have enlisted one of the UK's most experienced and respected commercial barristers, Mark Howard KC, for their legal arbitration. The club has lodged an appeal against the findings of an independent commission that, in September 2026, found the Citizens guilty of 114 out of 115 charges of breaching Premier League financial regulations.
Mark Howard KC's background and expertise
Mark Howard is a co-head at Brick Court Chambers in London, having been called to the bar in 1980 and appointed King's Counsel in 1996. With over four decades of experience, Howard has undertaken cases involving governments, banks, multinational corporations, and billionaires.
Notable cases from his career:
- Case against P&ID (Nigeria): In October 2023, Howard succeeded in overturning an arbitration award worth around $11 billion in a claim by Process & Industrial Developments against the Nigerian government. The court found that the contract and arbitration were marred by corruption and fraud, securing Howard a record fee of £9 million for his services.
- Roman Abramovich: Howard represented the businessman and Millhouse Capital in a commercial dispute with the oil company Yugraneftex in the English Commercial Court in 2008.
- Sir Elton John: He also represented the musician in litigation against his former accountants, PricewaterhouseCoopers, over issues of professional negligence and touring expenses.
Manchester City's stance
In February 2023, the Premier League outlined 115 charges against Manchester City following a four-year investigation. The independent commission concluded that a substantial portion of the club's sponsorship income from companies linked to Abu Dhabi was funded by entities linked to Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), rather than the sponsors themselves. Concerns were also raised regarding payments to former employees, including Roberto Mancini and Yaya Toure, as well as image rights agreements.
Manchester City vehemently denies all charges and officially lodged an appeal on 1 October 2026, citing significant errors by the commission in law, principles, and facts. Howard joins the club's legal team alongside Lord Pannick KC, who previously led City's defence. The precise distribution of roles within the appellate process remains under wraps.
