The English Football League would reportedly have no obligation to accept Manchester City as a member should the club be expelled from the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial rules.
The reigning champions were charged by the Premier League on Monday with more than 100 breaches of financial rules following a four-year investigation.
The charges cover a a nine-season timespan and relate to matters such as failing to provide accurate financial information over sponsorship revenue and not disclosing a manager's true salary.
City hit back hard, declaring they had ‘irrefutable evidence’ that they had done nothing wrong and that they looked forward to the matter ‘being put to rest once and for all’.
An independent commission, made up of a panel of three, will rule on the charges in a private hearing.
The commission would have the power to strip titles, deduct points, issue fines and potentially expel City from the Premier League should the club be found guilty.
According to the Telegraph, the EFL 'would have no obligation to accept Manchester City' in the event the club was hit with expulsion from the league, the most extreme punishment available.
Club's have to apply to become EFL members upon relegation from the Premier League at the end of the season, with the three promoted clubs becoming shareholders in the top flight.
The EFL, which governs the Championship, League One and League Two, reportedly would not automatically have to accept a club should they be expelled from the Premier League as only 72 clubs are permitted to be members.