The chairman of English football’s independent regulator has said he would resign if he encountered political interference over the future of Manchester City, as the club’s appeal against findings that it breached Premier League financial rules continues.
David Kogan, chairman of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), holds the power to assess the suitability of club owners and executives. Should an independent commission’s findings that City broke Premier League financial rules be upheld, the watchdog would have to decide whether to force a sale of the club.
His position was set out after Prime Minister Andy Burnham was criticised last month for saying he would be “really concerned” if Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners decided to sell up. Asked about those comments, Kogan told BBC Sport: “The Prime Minister is entirely entitled to make his own observations on anything. We are independent. That is in the name. I am the chairman of the Independent Football Regulator and independence absolutely runs through everything we’re doing. And no politician has tried to influence and would try to influence anything we do on that.” Pressed on what he would do if he did come under political pressure over the case, Kogan replied: “I would resign.”
Burnham initially told the BBC of his concerns before later denying his reaction had “downplayed the seriousness of the findings”. His stance provoked a strong response elsewhere in the game: some Premier League clubs were so “astonished” that sources told BBC Sport they were “concerned” about political interference in the appeal process. Burnham’s previous role as mayor of Greater Manchester has led to questions about his relationship with City’s Abu Dhabi ownership, and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanded that all details of meetings between the prime minister and senior figures at the club be released. The government released those details on Monday.
Kogan stressed that the regulator’s course was fixed by law rather than politics. “As far as we, as the regulator, are concerned, we have a very, very clear course of action that is governed by statute and we are going to follow that course of action and no comment by any politician or indeed any individual is going to affect what we do,” he said. “Process is going to drive what we do. Process will lead us to a conclusion. We cannot reach any conclusion at this stage because we don’t know the outcome of any appeal and once we do then we will act accordingly.”
The case itself stems from an independent commission, which found City had broken rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018 by creating “sham” contracts with commercial partners to secretly funnel more than £830m into their football operations. City insist they are innocent and have appealed. The commission held a 42-day hearing in 2024 that led to the verdict announced last month, with City also found guilty of all charges except one relating to non-cooperation with the Premier League investigation. Its report said that “a number of important club witnesses gave false evidence in key respects and that some knowingly gave untrue and dishonest evidence”.
An independent panel will hold a sanctions hearing, which could take months to convene, to decide the punishment. City can appeal both the guilty verdicts and the sanction, and the possible outcomes range from a huge fine, a points deduction or ejection from the Premier League to being stripped of the eight trophies they won in the affected period. Asked how crucial it was that the matter be resolved as soon as possible, Kogan said: “I think it’s very important.” He added that the case was “raising very serious issues if Manchester City on appeal is found to be guilty of the allegations within those findings”.
On how the regulator would proceed, Kogan said: “We are waiting like everybody else to see what the independent panel will do… and then we will bring in a view in terms of our own investigation and statutory powers if we need to do so. Our powers relate to individual owners, directors and senior executives. They refer to whether people are in a position to run a club in a way that is safe, coherent and done with probity, and we will be examining those things.” Kogan, a former sports media rights executive, was appointed to the regulator role one year ago.