Man City Fined £1M for Kick-Off Delays
Manchester City have been fined £1.08 million by the Premier League for repeatedly failing to start or restart matches on time during the 2024/2025 season.
The breaches involved delays in nine separate games, including the second half of December’s Manchester derby, which resumed two minutes and 24 seconds later than scheduled.
The Premier League confirmed the club admitted responsibility, issued an apology, and now has 14 days to settle the fine.
This is not the first time City have been penalized for such infractions. During the previous season (2023/2024), the club was fined a record £2.09 million for 22 similar delays.
In response, manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged the issue and promised to shorten his half-time team talks.
In a statement, the Premier League emphasized the importance of adhering to match timings:
“Kick-off and restart timings are crucial to the professional organization of the competition. They ensure predictability for fans and clubs and maintain the integrity of broadcast schedules.”
While Manchester City has shown progress by cutting down their number of delays by 59% compared to the previous season, the league remains firm on the need for strict compliance—especially given the vast sums broadcasters pay to televise matches with consistent scheduling.
City attributed some of the delays to the intense demands of the 2024/25 season.
Although they failed to win a major trophy, Guardiola is believed to have used extended half-time sessions to deliver crucial tactical instructions.
Nevertheless, the Premier League has pointed out that some delays occurred in relatively straightforward situations—for example, an October match against Southampton where City led comfortably, made no substitutions, yet still returned late after half-time.
While some view Guardiola’s overrun speeches as a result of his intense focus on match preparation, others believe the club has shown a lack of regard for the rules.
Meanwhile, City are still awaiting a verdict on the 115 charges of alleged financial misconduct brought against them by the Premier League in February 2023.
The charges, which date back to 2009–2018, are being reviewed by an independent commission.
The club maintains its innocence, stating it has provided a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” in its defense.
Man City Fined £1M for Kick-Off Delays