EUROPEAN COURT VERDICT ON SUPER LEAGUE PROMPTS NEW PROPOSAL – A22 releases European Super League proposal after EU court verdict
European football’s governing body UEFA and its global counterpart FIFA breached EU law by preventing the formation of a Super League, the European Court of Justice ruled. It’s a landmark ruling that could change the way football is run.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus plus nine other European major clubs announced the breakaway European Super League, or ESL, in April 2021. But the move to form the closed league collapsed within 48 hours after an outcry from fans, governments and players.
That forced Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid to pull out. In its ruling, the EU’s top court said FIFA and UEFA abused their dominant position by forbidding clubs to compete in an ESL.
However, that project may still not be approved as the court did not rule on it specifically. The verdict means European clubs can join another continental league without the threat of sanctions.
UEFA has organised pan-European competitions for nearly 70 years and sees the Super League project as a significant threat to the lucrative Champions League, for which teams qualify on merit.
Sports development company A22 assisted with creating the ESL. Its CEO Bernd Reichart proposed another new league in the wake of the court’s verdict, featuring 64 men’s and 32 women’s teams.
