A critical 2015 document submitted by Etihad Airways to the US government appears to directly undermine Manchester City's legal defense. While the club plans to argue during its appeal that additional sponsorship funding originated from the Abu Dhabi government rather than its majority owners, the airline's own 2015 filing explicitly stated: "The assertion that the Abu Dhabi government paid for Etihad's sponsorship of English Premier League football club Manchester City is equally false." Etihad maintained in that 60-page filing that it funded the 10-year sponsorship agreement entirely from its own liquidity.
This evidence emerges following an independent commission's verdict that declared Manchester City guilty of more than 100 financial rule breaches. The findings highlight how the club allegedly concealed financial aid from its owners, which provided the capital to support a record-breaking £1.2bn outlay on players between 2009 and 2018. The commission concluded that the club knowingly broke regulations to inflate its accounts, a move that secured the resources necessary to fuel its dominance in the Premier League and Champions League.
The findings carry significant weight for the sport, as authorities aim to limit the impact of massive owner investment to maintain a competitive balance. Beyond the primary transfer fees, the scale of financial activity during this period reached various agents and background entities, further complicating the oversight of club deal-making. With Manchester City officially lodging an appeal against the commission's guilty verdict, the 2015 statement serves as a major point of contention in the club's ongoing attempt to clear its name. The legal battle continues as the football world scrutinizes the validity of the club's financial narrative in light of these documented inconsistencies.