Is the football Super League coming now?

In the dispute over the establishment of a Super League, the European Football Union UEFA suffered a defeat before the highest European court. The major associations FIFA and UEFA may not make other competitions dependent on their approval and may not prohibit clubs and players from taking part in them, the European Court of Justice ruled in Luxembourg. This was preceded by a two-year dispute. In 2021, twelve top European clubs had already tried out the big revolution, but after the threat of UEFA sanctions, all but Real Madrid and FC Barcelona backed out.

• According to the verdict, what did UEFA do wrong?

According to the ECJ, UEFA abused its dominant market position. Because: In principle, fair competition should apply in the EU. UEFA and FIFA have such a monopoly position that they can basically dictate the conditions for market access for competitors. In such cases, transparent and non-discriminatory rules must apply to avoid conflicts of interest. According to the judges, this does not apply to the rules of UEFA and the world association FIFA.

• Is the verdict the starting signal for the big Super League?

Not necessarily. The ECJ emphasizes: The ruling does not mean that a competition like the Super League necessarily has to be approved. The only question was whether UEFA’s rules violated European law.

• Are there already concrete plans for the new module?

Nope. The initiators of the Super League have in mind a three-tier league system (“Star”, “Gold”, “Blue”) with 64 clubs for men and a two-tier system with 32 clubs for women. It is unclear who will be among the participants. Only Real and Barca are officially on board. “There are clubs that are very interested. Naming names immediately would divide football. That is not the intention,” said Bernd Reichart from the A22 agency, which is trying to lure fans: “All games are live and free of charge to see a new streaming platform.”

• What’s next?

The court in Spain, which had asked the ECJ for clarification, will decide whether the UEFA and FIFA rules can make sense under certain circumstances, for example so that as many protagonists in the football business as possible can benefit from them. The Madrid Commercial Court must comply with the requirements of the ECJ.

• Who are the opponents in the Super League?

UEFA, FIFA, European fan organizations, the national associations that are worried about revenue from the UEFA solidarity model, large national leagues (Spain, Germany, probably also England). The ÖFB and the domestic Bundesliga have clearly positioned themselves against the Super League.

Reactions to the judgment of the European Court of Justice

• “The judgment does not mean an endorsement or confirmation of the so-called Super League. Newly introduced rules will address the deficiencies cited by the court. The association remains committed to the football pyramid, which is based on national leagues in which clubs can qualify for international competitions.” – UEFA statement
• “The ÖFB will evaluate the decision carefully, but is concerned about it. There is a risk that the principle of solidarity that has been practiced so far will fall by the wayside due to the financial interests of individuals.” – Klaus Mitterdorfer, ÖFB boss
• “The ruling makes it clear that economic interests will become even more important in the future. There is a risk that even more resources will be diverted from the football pyramid in favor of a few clubs.” – Christian Ebenbauer, CEO of the Bundesliga
• “The UEFA monopoly is over, football is free. Free access to the league system (with promotion and relegation, note) brings together billions of fans. Financing should be secured through advertising.” – Bernd Reichart, who represents the Super League project for the A22 agency
• “A big day for sport. Football is now in the hands of clubs, players and fans.” – Florentino Perez, Real Madrid boss
• “We are looking forward to a new competition in Europe at the top level.” – Statement from FC Barcelona