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:
Barcelona release statement backing new European Super League
A driving force behind the creation of a new European competition, Barcelona have released this statement confirming their position as one of the biggest clubs in favour of the ESL. It reads:
“FC Barcelona wishes to express its satisfaction with the sentence of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) assessing the Super League project as proposed by A22 Sports.
“As one of the clubs driving the Super League project, FC Barcelona feels that the sentence paves the way for a new elite level football competition in Europe by opposing the monopoly over the football world, and wishes to initiate new discussions as to the path that European competitions should take in the future.
“Since it was founded in 1899, FC Barcelona has always been a pioneering club in the world of sport, leading the drive towards more professionalised structures both on a domestic and international scale, with regard to both men’s and women’s competitions, in a variety of sports and from different social concerns.
“Hence, as it has been maintaining in recent years, the club feels that the medium-term sustainability of European football entails the need create a concept along the lines of the Super League proposed by A22. A system of competition that will address such issues as fixture overload and the excessive number of games between national teams, that will work towards regulation of financial fair play among participating teams, and that will put local and international players and supporters at the centre.
“This system must respect the functions and sustainability of domestic competitions and should be a meritocracy that is primarily based on results on the pitch.
“In a year when the club is celebrating its 125th anniversary, Barça wishes to continue to offer its experience and knowledge of different sports to propose solutions for current issues in elite sport.
“That is why it is declaring its support for the Super League promoted by A22 and encourages constructive debate among both domestic and international football bodies, which have now been endorsed by today’s sentence by the Court of Justice of the European Union. The foregoing is all subject to a complete reading of the sentence.”
DCMS confirms plans for independent regulator
It’s been a busy day so far and more announcements are set to come. The UK government department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has released plans to bring forward legislation for an independent regulator in English football.
Their statement says: “We note the decision by the European Court of Justice’s judgement in regard to the European Super League.
“The attempt to create a breakaway competition was a defining moment in English football and was universally condemned by fans, clubs and the government.
“We took decisive action at the time by triggering the fan-led review of football governance, which called for an independent regulator in English football.
“We will shortly be bringing forward legislation which makes this a reality, and will stop clubs from joining any similar breakaway competitions in the future.”
Uefa issues statement on European Court of Justice ruling
In response to the European Court of Justice’s ruling this morning, Uefa has issued a statement which reads:
"UEFA takes note of the judgment delivered today by the ECJ in the European Super League case.
"This ruling does not signify an endorsement or validation of the so-called ‘super league’; it rather underscores a pre-existing shortfall within UEFA's pre-authorisation framework, a technical aspect that has already been acknowledged and addressed in June 2022. UEFA is confident in the robustness of its new rules, and specifically that they comply with all relevant European laws and regulations.
"UEFA remains resolute in its commitment to uphold the European football pyramid, ensuring that it continues to serve the broader interests of society. We will continue to shape the European sports model collectively with national associations, leagues, clubs, fans, players, coaches, EU institutions, governments and partners alike.
"We trust that the solidarity-based European football pyramid that the fans and all stakeholders have declared as their irreplaceable model will be safeguarded against the threat of breakaways by European and national laws."
The governing body of European football will also be hosting a press conference at 1pm where they will probably go into detail about how they plan to bring their rules in line with EU law and what concerns they have over the revamped European Super League.
European Super League relaunch: What we know so far
Back in February news broke of the European Super League being relaunched into a more palatable version to appease the supporters and fans who saw the original version as a greedy cash grab.
Up to 80 teams, multiple divisions and a guarantee of 14 matches per season were touted by Bernd Reichart, the chief executive of A22 who are in charge of promoting the ESL.
He detailed the framework of the new league to German newspaper Die Welt. Today there will be more announcements in a livestream at 11am, but will it happen this time?
Here’s what we know so far about the revived European Super League:
European Super League relaunch: What we know so far
The propsect of a European Super League has been revived as the continent’s richest clubs seem determined to push a proposal through in the face of fan backlash
What are the ‘10 principles’ of the new European Super League?
There remains a lack of specific detail available over the Super League’s newly scrubbed reform plan, but they have released a list of 10 principles to govern their approach. They say they have been formed after “consistent feedback” with clubs, though they opted against saying which ones.
The 10 guiding principles are listed as:
- Meritocratic competitions, with multi-divisional format and no permanent members
- Clubs remain committed to domestic tournaments
- Improve competitiveness with stable, sustainable resources
- Player health at the centre of the game
- Well-enforced and transparent financial sustainability rules
- Create “the world’s best football competition”
- Improved fan experience
- Develop and finance women’s football by putting it “centre stage” side-by-side with men’s game
- Significant increase in solidarity
- Respect for EU laws and values
What about the Premier League?
While Barcelona and Real Madrid seemingly remain committed to the breakaway, there is less known about whether the six Premier League clubs originally involved in the European Super League launch would still consider supporting it.
Additionally, the Premier League has just announced a new domestic television rights deal worth £6.7bn – and there would likely have been strict rules within that agreement that would forbid English clubs from signing up for competitions that are now approved by Uefa or Fifa.
The English game’s new independent regulator has also set out rules forbidding clubs from joining unlicensed competitions, while the Premier League’s Owners’ Charter, agreed in 2022, also states clubs must not “engage in the creation of new competition formats outside of the Premier League’s rules”.
Why is it back now?
After its defeat in 2021, the European Super League returned with a new format, crucially removing the “closed shop” format that would have seen its founding members be immune from relegation.
The latest proposal has been tweaked and could contain up to 80 teams in a multi-divisional format. The Super League would also be based on sporting performance only with no permanent members.
A22 have 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.
A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart said the new-look Super League would be an open competition, with qualification achieved via performance at national level and with all its teams competing in their domestic leagues. Those national leagues would remain “the foundation” of the game, Reichart said, and argued that the new Super League would generate new revenues to support the entire pyramid. There is a guarantee of a minimum of 14 matches that would provide “stability and predictability” of revenue.
What happened to the European Super League in 2021?
It was a rare triumph of fan power when the European Super League first tried to launch back in April 2021 as immediate, sustained protests from across the football community caused the clubs involved to scuttle away with their tail between their legs.
The competition was initially launched 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.
Super League celebrates ruling: ‘The Uefa monopoly is over. Football is free’
The backers of the proposed European Super League have declared that “football is free” after winning a legal challenge against Uefa and Fifa.
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice found that the two governing bodies had acted against European Union law in blocking the controversial proposals for a breakaway league formed of Europe’s top clubs.
The landmark judgement found that Uefa and Fifa were “abusing a dominant position”, though stressed that the ruling does not mean the Super League proposal must be approved.
Super League celebrates ruling: ‘The Uefa monopoly is over. Football is free’
The European Court of Justice ruled that Uefa and Fifa had ‘abused a dominant position’
Latest edition of European Super League set to be announced at 11am
A22, the company backing the European Super League, is planning to announce its latest proposal for the European Super League which would be a midweek competition for men’s and women’s football.
The announcement is planned for 11am GMT and will explain the new proposal.
Participation is expected to be based on sporting merit with promotion and relegation. In a change to the previous edition of the ESL there will be no permanent members.
Fans will be able to view live matches for free on a new state-of-the-art digital streaming platform.
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