Premier League Sponsorship Rules Face Crucial Vote After Manchester City’s Legal Win

Good morning, The Football Newsletter readers. As we look toward November 22nd, a critical vote looms in the Premier League. This is a date that could see changes to sponsorship and financial regulations impacting all 20 top-flight clubs. At the heart of the matter is Manchester City’s recent legal victory, which challenged the Premier League’s “associated party transactions” (APT) rules—a victory that now has league officials rethinking sponsorship regulations.

Why the Vote Matters

Manchester City, one of the Premier League’s most financially powerful clubs, took the league to tribunal over APT rules introduced in 2021. These rules were designed to curb clubs from generating inflated revenue through sponsorship and commercial deals connected to their owners or “associated parties.” However, City argued that the regulations were “discriminatory and distortive,” and an independent tribunal ultimately sided with them on key points.

The tribunal’s 175-page judgment, published last month, concluded that certain aspects of the APT rules conflicted with competition law, particularly regarding shareholder loans. While the Premier League is pushing to resolve these issues with minor rule amendments, these adjustments need the support of at least 14 clubs in a shareholder vote on November 22.