Etihad Airways says it is considering legal action after the Premier League said Manchester City were found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches over a nine-season period between 2009/10 and 2018/19. The airline, City’s principal sponsor since 2009, says it was never contacted during the process and that the way the findings were made public has created damaging implications for its brand.

Etihad's complaint about the process

Etihad’s statement is blunt in one place and procedural in another. It “categorically rejects any finding, conclusion or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements.” It also says it was never given the chance to be represented, to provide relevant information, or to ensure the accuracy and fairness of information relied upon in reaching conclusions that may now be read as reflecting badly on the airline.

That is the key shift here. This is no longer just about Manchester City challenging a commission’s verdict before Friday’s appeal deadline. Etihad has made itself part of the fallout, saying it will seek legal counsel on the options and recourse available to protect its interests.

The airline’s point is straightforward enough. It says the Premier League never reached out to or engaged with it before publishing findings that could be interpreted as damaging to a sponsor that has stood with City for 17 years.

The English sources in this case stop short of saying Etihad has filed anything. They do say the airline is weighing its next move, and that is already enough to widen the dispute beyond the club itself.

Why the sponsor's stance matters

The wider significance is reputational as much as legal. Etihad is not named in the published decision, but it says the public communication of the findings has still created damaging implications. That leaves the Premier League facing pressure from outside the club, from a brand that has been tied to Manchester City since 2009.

Etihad also said, in comments reported by the Independent, “We stand with the club, its supporters and our wider Etihad community as Manchester City challenges the commission's conclusions through the processes available to it.” That is the public line for now, support for City and open dissatisfaction with how the process handled the sponsor’s position.

Manchester City’s challenge now has an added layer. The club must deal with the verdict itself, while its principal sponsor is asking whether the process was fair to a commercial partner that says it was never invited to respond.

Friday’s appeal deadline is the immediate marker. After that, the legal and reputational questions around the verdict are likely to keep growing.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →