European Super League LIVE: A22’s breakaway format won’t include Premier League clubs after ‘ban’ claims
The European Court of Justice has dealt a blow to Uefa and Fifa in their efforts to kill off the European Super League, but there remain many obstacles in the way of the ESL’s ambitious plans
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The controversial European Super League is set to relaunch with new tournament plans this morning, after a landmark European Court of Justice ruling.
The ECJ ruled that Uefa and Fifa both acted “unlawfully” by blocking the rebel tournament when it initially launched in 2021. However, while the ruling stated that the governing bodies had “abused their dominant position” by forbidding the creation of any new club competitions, it also stressed that doesn’t mean the Super League project has to be approved in the future.
A22, the company backing the European Super League, gleefully declared that “the Uefa monopoly is over” and that “football is free”, while LaLiga released a statement condemning the Super League as “a selfish and elitist model”.
Following today’s ruling, A22 is announcing a new proposal for men’s and women’s midweek European Competitions at 11am GMT. In a change from the previous European Super League plans, participation will apparently be based on sporting merit, there will be no permanent members and the league will feature promotion and relegation.
Follow the latest updates and news from Luxembourg below:
New European Super League announced by A22
Bernd Reichart said: “We will continue and expand our dialogue with football stakeholders to explain and further develop the proposal.
“Our job is to empower the clubs that will constitute and manage the new competition – and help them create the football you dream of.”
New European Super League announced by A22
A22 says that the new Super League will be free to watch for fans.
“The proposal also includes innovative plans to launch the world’s leading direct-to-fan sports streaming platform [called Unify], where billions of fans would be able to watch live all Super League matches for free”.
Florentino Perez talks European Super League
Real Madrid president has had his say on the creation of a new European Super League. He said:
“From Real Madrid we welcome with great satisfaction the decision taken by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which is responsible for guaranteeing our principles, values and freedoms. In the coming days we will carefully study the scope of this resolution, but I do anticipate two conclusions of great historical significance.
“First of all, that European club football is not and will never be a monopoly again. And secondly, that from today the clubs will be the owners of their destiny. Clubs see fully recognized our right to propose and promote European competitions that modernize our sport and attract fans from all over the world. In short, today the Europe of freedoms has triumphed again and today soccer and its fans have also triumphed.
“Faced with the pressures we have received for more than two years, law, reason and freedom are imposed today. And for this reason, Real Madrid will continue to work for the sake of football.
“Just as almost seventy years ago we took a fundamental step in the history of soccer with the creation of the European Cup, today we again have the duty and responsibility to give European football the new impetus it needs so much. And for this, we will continue to defend a modern project, fully compatible with national competitions, open to all, based on sporting merit and that will effectively impose respect for financial fair play. A project that will bring economic sustainability for all clubs and that above all will protect the players and excite fans around the world.
“We will do it despite the campaigns we have suffered and that, without a doubt, will intensify from today. But no one said that ending a monopoly after so many decades was simple.
“We are facing the great opportunity to improve European club football. A football at the height of the 21st century, with a transparent governance, that knows how to live with new technologies and that once again provokes the passion and emotion that fans really need.
“Let me tell the European clubs that we are facing the beginning of a new time in which we can work in freedom from constructive dialogue, without threats, without acting against anything or anyone and with the aim of innovating and modernizing football to continue nurturing the passion of the fans.
“From today, the present and future of European football are finally in the hands of clubs, players and their fans. Our destiny belongs to us and we have a great responsibility before us.
“This day will mark a before and after. It is a great day for the history of football and for the history of sport”.
European Super League launches radical new plan for football
The European Super League (ESL) have launched a radical new plan to overhaul football after a landmark court ruling determined that Uefa had violated EU competition law by forbidding the project initially.
The European Court of Justice ruled that football’s governing bodies acted “unlawfully” by blocking the breakaway league – stating that Fifa and Uefa abused their dominant position by forbidding clubs outright to compete in the ESL, although added that the Super League may still not be approved.
Sports development company A22, formed to assist in the creation of the ESL, celebrated the ruling and heralded a new dawn for the sport.
European Super League launches radical new plan for football
Midweek pan-European competitions for men and women which include promotion and relegation are being proposed
FSA response to today's European Super League case
The Football Supporters’ Association has released a statement of their own saying that there is no place for a breakaway competition.
You can read it here:
New European Super League announced by A22
At the end of the season, there will be a knockout competition to determine which teams go on to win the trophy as well as which teams can gain promotion to a higher league.
New European Super League announced by A22
The first two tiers, Star and Gold, will consist of 16 teams each with the Blue league having 32 teams. Clubs are to play home and away matches in groups of 8 with a minimum of 14 matches per year.
Reichart says that a league playing just 14 matches means every match will count.
New European Super League announced by A22
The new European Super League proposal has 64 teams spread over three tiers labelled: Star, Gold and Blue. This is apparantly been brought in to acknowledge that participation is based on sporting merit with no permanent members.
Annual promotion and relegation will happen between leagues with promotion into 3rd tier Blue League being based upon domestic league performances.
New European Super League announced by A22
Bernd Reichart, the chief executive of A22, is currently on a live stream and is preparing to explain the changes made to the European Super League and how he plans to introduce the new competition.
Updates to follow...
Watch European Court of Justice ruling over Super League
Here’s the ruling from the judges which states that Uefa blocking the creation of the ESL went against EU law:
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