According to the Financial Times, the hearing is expected to last several days, with the independent appeal board's judgment potentially arriving in 2027. The timetable means the process could continue well into next year before the prospect of any sanctions becomes clearer.
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of the charges relating to serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules over a nine-season period, as well as the majority of allegations concerning the club's failure to co-operate with the investigation.
The findings cover the period between 2009-10 and 2017-18 and include allegations involving the reporting of commercial revenue, financial information and spending limits. City have consistently denied wrongdoing and are challenging the commission's decision.
The Premier League confirmed in September that the commission had upheld the charges relating to serious financial breaches. It also said that the question of sanctions would be dealt with separately.
That distinction is important. Even if City's appeal is unsuccessful, the outcome would not automatically mean that a punishment is imposed immediately. A further process would be required to determine the appropriate sanction.
The potential consequences have attracted considerable attention, given the scale of the case. They could include a points deduction, a fine or, in the most serious scenario, expulsion from the Premier League. Relegation could also become a possibility if a sufficiently severe points deduction were imposed.
However, no punishment has been confirmed, and the final outcome will depend on the appeal and any subsequent sanctions process.
The case has already taken several years to reach this stage. City were charged in February 2023 following the Premier League's investigation, and the original commission's decision was published in September 2026.
The club's appeal is therefore another major stage in a dispute that has cast a long shadow over English football. With the hearing expected in December and a ruling likely to come later, the prospect of a definitive resolution remains some way off.