Manchester City could soon find themselves stripped of several titles after being found guilty of all charges related to financial rule breaches in the Premier League from 2009 to 2018. During this time, the Citizens secured three Premier League titles and various domestic cups, solidifying their reputation as a powerhouse in English football.
In light of this unfolding situation, we take a look back at six other teams that had titles stripped from them after the conclusion of a season.
Senegal (2026)
Earlier this year, Senegal was sensationally stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) upheld Morocco's appeal concerning the conduct of Senegalese players during the final. Following this unprecedented decision, Morocco was awarded the title with a 3-0 victory after Senegal left the pitch in protest against a late penalty awarded to the Moroccans. The saga continues as Senegal has lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Marseille (1992–93)
Marseille clinched both Ligue 1 and the Champions League in the 1992–93 season but saw their domestic title stripped after being found guilty of match-fixing. The infamous club president Bernard Tapie organised bribes of 250,000 francs to players from Valenciennes to ensure they underperformed in a crucial end-of-season match. Although Marseille emerged victorious, the referee was alerted to the bribery, leading to the club being relegated to Ligue 2. Paris Saint-Germain, who were in line to inherit the title, declined to accept it, purportedly due to Canal+ owners fearing a loss of TV revenue in the Marseille region. Nevertheless, Marseille retained their Champions League trophy despite doping and corruption allegations.
Juventus (2004–05 and 2005–06)
One of the most notorious cases in football history is Juventus being stripped of two Scudetti during the mid-2000s as part of the Calciopoli scandal. Former general manager Luciano Moggi was found guilty of manipulating referee selections in favour of the Old Lady and received a lifetime ban from football, while the club was relegated to Serie B. Juventus still does not acknowledge the decision, unofficially counting these titles while contesting the transfer of the 2005–06 Scudetto to Inter Milan.
Genoa (2004–05)
Less well-known but equally scandalous is the 'Allemanni case' which cost Genoa a title in Serie B during the mid-2000s. In the final match of the 2004–05 season, Genoa sought promotion to the top flight and faced a financially troubled and relegated Venezia. The Genoa hierarchy decided to pay the opposing team's general manager Giuseppe Palia 250,000 euros to secure the desired result—money that was later found in his car. The Italian Football Federation stripped Genoa of first place, sending them to the bottom of the table and down into Serie C1, while it was later revealed that rivals Torino had also paid Venezia, but to ensure they fought hard.
Elgin City (1992–93)
Elgin City crowned their season in the Highland League in 1992–93 by thrashing Forres Mechanics 6-0. The twist came when the club moved their final match from Saturday to Friday evening to field suspended players, including player-manager John Tisdale. As a result, Elgin was stripped of the title, but the runners-up, Cove Rangers, refused to accept victory by default, leading to the league having no official champion for the first time in a century. Elgin's attempts to reclaim their medals through the SFA in 2018 were unsuccessful.
Shanghai Shenhua (2003)
In the 2010s, Shanghai Shenhua became a magnet for stars like Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, but in the 2000s, the club's spending was directed towards bribing referees. In 2011, it was revealed that general manager Lu Shifan facilitated bribes to officials ahead of a crucial derby eight years prior. A decade after the events, the club was stripped of their 2003 title, leaving the season without an official champion.
