Manchester City financial regulations scandal: Debunking relegation theories, what could really happen, and the effect it will have on FIFA 23 and FUT

The world of football is in shock. It’s not because of a sudden realization that Manchester City are breaking financial fair play rules but because football authorities might actually do something about it.

As the topic unfolds, the burning question is if and how will Manchester City be punished. Is there a serious threat of relegation for Man City and could we see a mass exodus of players away from the Etihad Stadium? The outcome of these decisions will directly impact FIFA 23 and FUT in particular. While the Citizens’ executives are perhaps slightly more worried about other aspects of this case, us gamers care about our games first and foremost. So, what could happen here?

Martyn Ziegler reported that the English Premier League’s four-year-long investigation into Manchester City’s finances has concluded that the club has broken several financial regulations since 2009 and will be charged for these breaches. These charges will have to be proven in court before any punishment can be applied. If City mount up a successful defense, nothing happens and we move on, but what will happen if they don’t?

There are several ways in which the Premier League can apply its justice, ranging from a monetary fine, which would be the best-case scenario for City, to demoting the club down to the Championship. Other middle-ground punishments include point deductions and suspending Man City from continental competitions.

We have to debunk some ongoing theories here. Manchester City cannot be thrown into League Two, as some fans have suggested. The Premier League does not govern lower-tier English competitions, so the worst they can do is relegate City to the Championship.

The other viral fan theory is that City’s league titles could be taken away and given to the teams that finished second in those seasons, citing what the Italians did to Juventus back in the day as an example. That’s flawed logic. Juventus were accused of fixing matches and bribing referees, which is a very different crime from “simply” breaking financial regulations. In short, don’t hold your breath for new Manchester United and Liverpool titles.

Now, what does all of this have to do with FIFA 23? Like every other real-life football event, quite a lot actually. Manchester City is among the most successful clubs in the world and has some of the best players in the world on their roster. Even singular mega transfers have an impact on the FUT market, so imagine what will happen if Manchester City, of all teams, embarks on a fire sale. It’d be absolute chaos!

Perhaps João Cancelo was the first domino of a sequence we didn’t know was in motion at all. The times to come will demonstrate if that’s indeed the case. If it is, then prepare for a whole different look at the Premier League, European football, and yes, FIFA 23 and FUT.