The controversial European Super League faces uncertainty as Premier League clubs may be unable to join the breakaway competition, despite a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice. The court determined that Fifa and Uefa abused their dominant positions by forbidding clubs from participating in the ESL. However, this does not guarantee approval for the Super League. A22, a sports development company involved in the creation of the ESL, claimed that the governing bodies held a monopoly position that violated EU Competition and Free Movement Law. While A22 celebrated their victory, stating that football is free and clubs are now liberated from the threat of sanctions, there are still obstacles to be overcome.
Even if the European Super League proposal is ultimately approved, it is unlikely that Premier League clubs will be able to join. The UK government has stated that a new independent football regulator, established through imminent legislation, will make it illegal for British clubs to participate in a breakaway league. The UK’s departure from the European Union means that clubs cannot appeal to the European Court of Justice. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport emphasized that the attempt to create a breakaway competition was widely condemned and underscored the government’s commitment to preventing clubs from joining similar ventures in the future.
Following the landmark ruling, A22 released a video outlining their plans for both men’s and women’s competitions within the proposed European Super League. The men’s competition would consist of three tiers, featuring a total of 64 teams. Notably, A22 CEO Bernd Reichart reiterated that there would be no permanent members in the Super League. The top tier, referred to as the Star League, would comprise 16 teams, with Gold and Blue leagues also each consisting of 16 teams. The Blue League, the largest of the three tiers, would include 32 teams organized into four groups of eight. Match formats would involve home and away fixtures, followed by knockout stages leading to a final held at a neutral venue.
Details regarding initial team allocation into the leagues remain unclear. However, once positioned, the bottom two teams in the top league would be replaced by the finalists from the second tier, creating a system of promotion and relegation. A similar mechanism would be in place for relegation from the Gold to the Blue League. For the third tier, the competition would see 20 of the 32 clubs leave altogether based on domestic performance, making room for teams that have merited their place.
The women’s competition would mirror the structure of the men’s, with 32 teams participating across two tiers. Just as in the men’s leagues, the women’s top league would witness potential relegation of the bottom two teams to be replaced by finalists from the league below. Furthermore, four clubs would exit the lower league, being replaced by others based on their performance in domestic leagues.
Despite these plans, the revival of the European Super League is far from guaranteed. While A22’s CEO outlined their vision and proposed streaming platform called Unify, discussions regarding free-to-air matches funded by advertising were mentioned, alongside the potential for paid options to bypass advertising. However, the project’s implementation remains uncertain.
The future of the European Super League hangs in the balance. While A22 believes their legal victory marks a breakthrough, Premier League clubs may still find themselves excluded from the competition due to impending UK legislation. As the football world eagerly awaits further developments, only time will tell if the European Super League will see the light of day and reshape the landscape of the sport.
