Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Ask Me Anything

Ask Miguel Delaney anything as European Super League launches radical new plan for football

Our chief football writer Miguel Delaney will be on hand to answer all your questions about the ESL – from which clubs might be involved to whether it could really happen

Thursday 21 December 2023 11:46 GMT
Comments
Fans were unhappy with the original ESL announcement in 2021
Fans were unhappy with the original ESL announcement in 2021 (Getty Images)

The controversial European Super League has announced it will relaunch, unveiling plans for a new tournament after a landmark European Court of Justice ruling.

The competition was initially launched in 2021 with 12 founding members – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid – who would permanently take part in the competition.

The plan quickly collapsed after the six Premier League clubs pulled out within 24 hours in the face of fierce criticism from supporters, pundits, clubs and the media, but Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid remained committed to the concept.

Now, the European Super League has tabled plans to return, crucially removing the “closed shop” format that would have seen its founding members be immune from relegation.

New European Super League proposal revealed

A22, the company backing the league, says it consulted with nearly 50 European clubs since October last year and developed 10 principles based on that consultation which underpin its plans for a new-look league. The people involved with the European Super League believe football across the continent is in danger and they are the self-appointed guardians to save it.

But what do these new plans mean for European football? How would a European Super League actually work? And how do the latest proposals compare to previous, controversial plans?

Which clubs are backing the ESL? And, with today’s ruling, what timeline can fans expect for the plans to come to life, if at all?

If you have a question for me, submit it now, or when I join you live at 3.30pm on Thursday 21 December for the “Ask Me Anything” event.

Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question. For a full guide on how to comment click here.

Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they may be hidden until I join the conversation to answer them. Then join us live on this page at 3.30pm as I tackle as many questions as I can.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in