Man City Fined for Late Kick Offs and Restarts Over Two Seasons, Champions Apologize for the Delays

The Premier League has fined Manchester City for delayed starts to the first or second half in 22 fixtures in the last two seasons. Manchester City, who were the champions in both seasons, have agreed to the ban and have also tendered an apology. This fine has to be paid within fourteen days.

The new champions of the English Premier League confessed to kick-off and restart offenses; the total amount of the fine reached £2.09 million. The Premier League's statement reads: Both the Premier League and Manchester City FC have agreed to a sanction after the club admitted to violating Premier League Rule L. 33, which pertains to kick-off and re-start obligations. Kick-off and re-start rules provide for proper organization of the competition at the highest professional level and provide clarity for fans and clubs. It also affects the schedule of all 380 League matches broadcasts around the world.

They first infringed the rules on August 27, 2022, when the home match was 1 minute and 18 seconds late, after which a warning was issued. Further violations were followed by higher penalties: for the second violation, the fine starts from £10,000, for the third – from £50,000, and for the fourth and subsequent violations – up to £200,000 for a delay to West Ham United on May 19, 2024. The combined time spent on addends during the match was a record 3 minutes and 51 seconds in their home match against Newcastle United on the 19^th of August 2023.

In an apologetic statement, Manchester City admitted the breaches and informed that the club has recently recalled Rule L. 33 to its players and all the football management teams. The Premier League Board detailed: “During the period from the beginning of Season 2022/23 up to the date of this Sanction Agreement the Club admits that it has allowed the kick-off of a League Match and/or the re-start after the half-time interval of a League Match to be delayed without good reason (according to Rule L. 33) on 22 occasions.

Rule L. 33 states: “Any Club which without good reason causes to be delayed either the kick-off of a League Match from the time fixed or the re-start after the half time interval shall be dealt with under the provisions of Section W (Disciplinary) of these Rules.”

This news came after Manchester City’s 4-1 penalty loss to Barcelona after a 2-2 pre-season friendly match in Florida. Nico O’Reilly and Jack Grealish were on the score sheet for City in the match as Pep Guardiola was captured fuming towards the end of the first half.

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