Premier League Clubs Could Use Section W to Sue Man City For £200m

· GiveMeSport

What is 'Section W' and why four Premier League clubs could use it to sue Man City for £200m each.

Following yesterday's bombshell verdict, where Manchester City are expected to be found guilty of nearly all 115 of the Premier League financial breaches , successful legal actions by other clubs could exceed £200m in compensation.

Whilst an official verdict has yet to be published, it is now widely anticipated that the eight-time Premier League champions will be found guilty of financial rule breaches that stretch back to 2009. A number of clubs are reportedly seeking legal assistance, with at least four clubs upholding their rights to seek compensation for loss of earnings under Section W of the league's rules.

But what is Section W, and how could it lead to significant financial losses for Manchester City at the hands of their rivals? GIVEMESPORT provides all the key details.

Section W of the Premier League Handbook outlines the competition's governance in the disciplinary and appeals process . Any party wishing to challenge a decision made by an independent judicial commission must do so under Section W. Manchester City are expected to challenge the verdict, which will officially trigger an appeal.

The appeal process has a stricter timeframe. Any appeal must be submitted within 14 days of a decision being announced. Under Rule W .86 , the subsequent hearing must then conclude within 12 weeks of submission to prevent the case being unnecessarily drawn out. The appeal board's decision must also be published within 30 days of the hearing's conclusion, with written reasons for the decision included in the report.

If City loses their appeal, the judicial panel will then be expected to proceed with delivering its verdict and the severity of sanctions attached to that decision. Rules W.51 and W.64 outline the specific sanctions the panel can hand down. These can include heavy financial penalties, but of course, they could also threaten the club's position in the league too.

The disciplinary committee could very well suspend City from the Premier League , impose a points' deduction, or in the most extreme circumstances, remove the club from the Premier League altogether.

Per the Independent, the four clubs who preserved their rights to seek compensation for loss of earnings under Section W are reportedly four of City's biggest rivals . Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Tottenham completed the necessary legal steps to prevent the statute of limitations from running out.

Once the guilty verdict has been published, these clubs will be able to leverage Section W to pursue compensation for City's financial breaches. Interestingly, other clubs are purportedly seeking legal advice to assess their eligibility for compensation.

As well as the seasons included in the investigation, which cover a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018, the claims may not just be limited to loss of earnings. Legal action could be expanded to include subsequent campaigns due to 'loss of chance.'

The example being used to represent 'loss of chance' is Burnley's successful claim against Everton earlier this year. The Liverpool-based club were ordered to pay £40m in compensation to Burnley after a financial breach during the 2021/22 season that was ruled to give Everton a sporting advantage. Everton narrowly stayed up that season, finishing 16th on 39 points. Burnley were relegated in 18th, just four points behind the Merseyside club.

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