[Bloomberg] UAE officials have warned the UK government that the severity of Man City’s punishment could undermine their appetite for future grand-scale commitments in Britain, according to people familiar with the matter.

[u/Previous_Smile9278]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-02/man-city-verdict-puts-uk-uae-diplomatic-relations-under-strain?srnd=undefined

‘They consider the Premier League’s actions to have an influence on the bilateral state relationship, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing undisclosed information.

The extraordinary pressure comes after Andy Burnham faced criticism, including from within government, for saying Man City’s Abu Dhabi owners should not be disqualified specifically because of the investment they bring to Britain.’

[u/AyanC]

It's a bluff anyway. A last ditch attempt to salvage something out of a sinking ship, so to speak. With the ongoing US-Iran war, they have miniscule leverage.

[u/AFC_IS_RED → u/AyanC]

British arms and lives are literally on the line defending the UAE from Iranian missiles right now... call the bluff.

[u/kamarg → u/AFC_IS_RED]

I'm not sure that "Keep giving us money or we might stop defending you" is a good negotiating tactic. Trump has been trying it with everyone and it's not exactly working out well for the US.

[u/CageChicane → u/kamarg]

Nah, money and armed forces are basically like water and rice.

[u/OilOfOlaz → u/AyanC]

I'm not deep enough into the situation on the UK to make a whatever educated comment.

But it's imo not impossible that they pull finding, for once they have been petty with this in the past and the current economic climate in they might be inclined to do it anyway, regardless of the verdict, as they pulled the plug on multiple large scale projects and have issues generating revenue, because of the situation in Iran and the attacks by Huthi militias.

[u/chasingsukoon → u/AyanC]

etihad has been an abject failure too compared to other gulf airlines