In an unprecedented decision that could change the landscape of European inter-club competition, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that UEFA cannot maintain a monopoly on football competitions, thereby paving the way for the European Super League.
The decision of the European Union Court is binding, meaning that UEFA no longer holds control, and any team can now withdraw.
The decision explicitly states that the current framework does not ensure transparency and objectivity in both federations. Consequently, the European Super League or any other inter-club competition no longer needs to seek permission from UEFA and FIFA.
In essence, this decision upends the status quo of European club competition granting the European Super League the right to move forward with its plans, which is expected to bring about significant reshuffling in the continent’s football world. In other words, brace for a new Champions League!
European Super League
The European Super League, officially The Super League, was proposed as a seasonal football competition for club teams in Europe. Initially, the league was supposed to include 20 teams, with 12 of them being founding members of the competition.
The plans for the league are thought to have started way back in 2009, with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez stating that the Champions League, Europe’s current elite cup competition run by UEFA, was ‘obsolete and problematic’ and was ‘an obstacle preventing clubs from growing their businesses and developing infrastructure’.
The idea of the Super League was that the 12 clubs would leave the Champions League competition and UEFA behind, and run their self-regulated elite competition.
