Don Garber's message was clear: what happens in the Premier League stays in the Premier League. The MLS commissioner told attendees at Front Office Sports' "Tuned In" summit in Manhattan on Tuesday that the league "was not in the business of looking what our team owners do in other leagues" — a direct response to questions about Manchester City's financial scandal and what it means for their MLS sibling, New York City FC.
Both clubs fall under City Football Group, the global holding company found guilty last month of more than 100 violations of Premier League financial regulations by an independent commission. The ruling sent shockwaves through English football. In New York, it raised a quieter but legitimate question: should MLS care?
Garber's answer was essentially no — and he made it sound like the obvious position. "MLS is looking at how owners act in accordance to our rules here in Major League Soccer," he said, before pivoting to praise CFG's investment in NYCFC and their upcoming stadium near Citi Field, calling it "something we're thankful for and appreciative of."
Sullivan's future still in play
One story that won't be so easily compartmentalized is Cavan Sullivan. The teenage American prodigy signed with the Philadelphia Union in 2024 under a deal that includes a pre-arranged transfer to Manchester City when he turns 18. The Premier League verdict has naturally raised questions about whether that move still makes sense — legally, competitively, reputationally.
Garber didn't answer that one for him. Any call, he said, would be made by Sullivan, his family, and Manchester City. Which is the correct non-answer when the situation is genuinely unsettled.
A club already in freefall
Strip away the governance questions and NYCFC's on-field situation is its own headache. The club has won just three regular season matches since the World Cup break ended — a run that makes the surrounding off-field noise feel almost secondary.
Whether MLS's hands-off approach to CFG's conduct abroad holds up long-term will depend on how severe Manchester City's eventual penalties are. If points deductions or deeper structural sanctions follow, the conversation about cross-ownership accountability won't stay in England. Garber is right that no league polices what its owners do elsewhere. He's also making a calculated bet that the City Football Group storm doesn't blow across the Atlantic.
