UEFA, FIFA Cannot Stop Super League Formation, Europe’s Highest Court Rules

A landmark judgement on Thursday by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has given impetus to the formation of a European Super League (ESL). Both football governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA, had, on 18 April 2021, come hard against the idea of a new football league, comprising 12 initial teams.

The highest court of the European Union declared that FIFA and UEFA engaged in an abuse of their dominant position by prohibiting clubs from participating in the ESL. However, the court did not specifically pass judgment on the approval of the ESL project, leaving its status uncertain.

In the ruling, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) stated: “The Fifa and Uefa rules on prior approval of inter-club football competitions, such as the Super League, are contrary to EU law.

“They are contrary to competition law and the freedom to provide services.

“The Fifa and Uefa rules making any new inter-club football project subject to their prior approval, such as the Super League, and prohibiting clubs and players from playing in those competitions, are unlawful. There is no framework for the Fifa and Uefa rules ensuring that they are transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate.”

It also added, “That does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved. The Court does not rule on that specific project in its judgment.”

A22 Sports Management, which is in charge of sponsoring and assisting in the creation of the new European Super League, through its CEO Bernd Reichart, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “We have won the right to compete. UEFA’s monopoly is over. Football is FREE. Now the clubs will no longer suffer threats and sanctions. They are free to decide their own future.”

And the primary instigator of the ESL, 13-time Champions League winners Real Madrid, through its president Florentino Perez, welcomed “with great satisfaction the landmark decision 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 study the scope of today’s resolution in detail but I will like to anticipate two conclusions of great historical significance.

“Firstly, that European club football is not and will never again be a monopoly. And secondly, that from now on the clubs will be the masters of their destiny. We, the clubs, have fully recognised our right to propose and promote European competitions that will modernise our sport and attract fans from all over the world once again.

“In short, today, free Europe has triumphed once again, and today football and its fans have triumphed too.”

The formation of the ESL in April 2021 had 12 founding members: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool, Juventus, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal.

According to the New York Times, “The repercussions of a split between European soccer and its best-known, best-followed and most deep-pocketed clubs would be seismic. Without the top teams, UEFA and the domestic leagues would face demands for millions of dollars in refunds from the broadcasters who pay billions for television rights to air their tournaments.”

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