Football: English Premier League APT Rules Legal Challenge Decision
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
On 7 October 2024, the decision has been handed down by an arbitration tribunal in a case brought by Manchester City Football Club against the English Premier League (EPL), in which Manchester City claimed that the EPL Rules on APT (Associated Party Transactions) were unlawful on the grounds of UK Competition Law and procedural fairness.
The tribunal, in a 175-page decision, rejected the majority of these claims, but upheld them in two respects, namely that shareholder loans should not be excluded from the APT Rules and that certain amendments made to them in February 2024 by the EPL should not be retained.
The case is separate from the case currently being heard by the EPL Disciplinary Commission regarding 115 charges against Manchester City for alleged breaches of the EPL Financial Rules (Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR)).
The aim of the APT Rules is to regulate commercial deals, such as sponsorships, between clubs and their owners, to ensure financial fairness amongst EPL Clubs.
Manchester City is owned by the global and wealthy Abu Dhabi-backed City Football Group.
It is interesting to note that the EPL was not united in this case: six EPL Clubs gave evidence for the EPL, whilst three others gave evidence for Manchester City. Four other EPL Clubs wrote letters in support of the APT Rules.
The APT Rules are complex, and a diligent reading of the decision will pay dividends!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
