Manchester City’s legal dispute over alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules could continue for years as the club prepares an appeal and other clubs consider compensation claims. The Premier League says City used sham commercial contracts to inflate revenue and understate costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion) over nearly a decade. An independent commission found City guilty of all charges covering nine seasons and three of four charges related to its failure to cooperate with the investigation. City denies wrongdoing and has until Friday to lodge an appeal, which it has said it will do. No sporting sanction has been imposed, leaving unresolved when any punishment would take effect and whether an appeal would suspend it. The case could also lead to claims from clubs that say they lost income, promotion opportunities, European places, trophies or access to players because of City’s alleged conduct. Lawyers cited the Premier League’s June order for Everton to pay Burnley around £35 million ($47 million) over the impact of Everton’s 2022 financial-rule breach; Everton rejected the findings and will have its appeal heard in January 2027. Legal experts say multiple claims could produce fragmented proceedings, while one suggested response would be a centralized compensation process similar to a class action. The appeal will be heard by a new three-person panel and is viewed by football law expert Stefan Borson as the immediate priority. Lawyers also raised possible questions about owners’ fitness under Premier League rules, potential criminal investigations if fraud or false statements were established, and whether an apparent leak of the decision could support a procedural challenge. Relegation would also create uncertainty for City’s squad because players may have release clauses allowing other clubs to buy their registrations at discounted prices.