Manchester City has accepted a substantial £2 million ($2.6 million) fine after being sanctioned for delaying kick-offs in matches on 22 separate occasions over the past two seasons.
One notable instance occurred during the final game of last season when the Premier League champions delayed the start of the second half in their title-deciding clash against West Ham by two minutes and 46 seconds.
According to the Daily Mail, the fines levied against City ranged from £10,000 to £200,000. The lowest fine was imposed for their first offence, while the highest was for the delay in the West Ham game.
Manchester City is not the only Premier League club to fall afoul of this lesser-known regulation. In August 2023, Crystal Palace was fined £220,000 (£70,000 of which was suspended) for late kick-offs in two matches during the 2022-23 season.
A statement from the Premier League emphasized the importance of adhering to the rules regarding kick-offs and restarts:
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“Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs. It also ensures the broadcast of all 380 League matches around the world is kept to schedule.”
The delay against West Ham was the longest recorded by Pep Guardiola’s side. The shortest delay was one minute and 17 seconds, occurring during the second half of games against Brighton in May 2023 and against Newcastle in August 2023.
As Guardiola and his team prepare for the upcoming season, they are currently engaged in pre-season friendlies in the United States. These matches have included competitive fixtures against Celtic, AC Milan, and Barcelona. Their next challenge is a meeting with Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea in Ohio on August 3.
This series of fines and the Premier League’s strict enforcement of kick-off regulations highlight the league’s commitment to maintaining professional standards and ensuring the timely broadcast of matches worldwide.
For Manchester City, the focus will now be on avoiding such penalties in the future while they aim to defend their Premier League title in the forthcoming season.