Manchester City's UEFA ban overturned, can play in Champions League next season

Manchester City's two-year ban from UEFA competitions has been overturned, allowing the club to compete in the Champions League next season. Additionally, the team's 30-million euro fine has been reduced to 10-million euro.

In February, City received a two-year ban due to alleged Financial Fair Play violations, which involved the club overstating "its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016." The team immediately appealed the ban, saying that they would be cleared of all wrongdoing. Last month, a hearing was held where team officials refuted all charges laid against them.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced the new ruling in a statement:

"However, considering i) the financial resources of MCFC; ii) the importance of the cooperation of clubs in investigations conducted by the CFCB, because of its limited investigative means; and iii) MCFC's disregard of such principle and its obstruction of the investigations, the CAS Panel found that a significant fine should be imposed on MCFC and considered it appropriate to reduce UEFA's initial fine by 2/3, i.e. to the amount of EUR 10 million."

In an official statement, Manchester City expressed its relief at the ruling:

"Whilst Manchester City and its legal advisors are yet to review the full ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Club welcomes the implications of today's ruling as a validation of the Club's position and the body of evidence that it was able to present. The Club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered."