Manchester City could face a separate investigation by football’s independent regulator, with its chairman, David Kogan, confirming that the body has the power to force the club’s owners to relinquish control if they fail its ownership suitability tests.

According to a report by Football London on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the development comes as City appeal against an independent commission’s findings over alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations.

The commission reportedly found City guilty of all charges brought against them in September, with allegations covering the period between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons.

The club was accused of artificially inflating its revenue by £900 million through contracts described in the report as sham arrangements.

However, the Premier League proceedings remain subject to the club’s appeal, while the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has yet to decide whether to launch its own investigation.

Speaking on a special edition of The Rest Is Football podcast with Gary Lineker and Alastair Campbell, Kogan said the regulator would assess the available evidence before deciding whether further action was necessary.

He explained that the IFR would examine the individuals involved with the club rather than directly impose sporting sanctions such as points deductions or fines, which fall within the Premier League’s disciplinary powers.

Kogan also confirmed that the regulator could require an owner to step away from a club if it concluded that they were not operating it appropriately.

Asked whether the owners could be forced to sell, he said the regulator had “absolute power” to take such action.

The comments follow former Manchester United midfielder Gary Neville’s call for City’s owners to be removed after the commission’s findings.

Speaking on Stick to Football, Neville argued that financial misconduct on such a scale should carry serious consequences, adding that removing the ownership would be the fairest punishment if the allegations were ultimately upheld through the relevant process.

Neville also stressed that Manchester City existed long before their current owners and would continue to exist after them, while warning that the controversy could damage the Premier League’s reputation.