Officials from the United Arab Emirates have told the UK government that harsh sanctions against Manchester City could deter future Emirati investment across Britain. The warning comes after an independent commission found the club guilty of nearly all of the 115 charges for breaching Premier League financial rules, determining the club used sham contracts to artificially inflate its revenue by more than £900 million between 2009 and 2018.

Manchester City is appealing the verdict and claims that disputed sponsorship funds were government payments rather than owner contributions. While potential penalties range from points deductions to expulsion from the league, diplomatic immunity granted to chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak six years ago may complicate legal actions. The Premier League has not yet determined the final punishment.