In a significant opinion released on Thursday by the European Union’s Court of Justice, it was stated that UEFA and FIFA would be permitted to banish a European Super League and its rival teams.
Twelve teams agreed to join the Super League after its disastrous debut the previous year, but the majority quickly withdrew in the face of a ferocious backlash from football fans, politicians, and governing bodies.
Since then, the Spanish league has declared that it will do everything in its power to defeat a new proposal for an elite league that it has warned would “destroy” the current organisation of the domestic game.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus are still rumoured to be interested in the proposals, which were revealed to be being revived in October 2022. However, the proposals continue to face steadfast opposition from FIFA and UEFA, which oversees European football.
Athanasios Rantos, the CJEU’s advocate general, was responding to the Commercial Court of Madrid’s request for a decision on whether FIFA and UEFA would have the right to act in accordance with competition law and fundamental freedoms.
Chief executives of the European Super League (ESLC) argued that these practises should be viewed as anti-competitive and incompatible with EU competition law.
“While ESLC is free to set up its own independent football competition outside of the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, it cannot, in parallel with the creation of such a competition, continue to participate in the football competitions organised by FIFA and UEFA without the prior authorization of those federations,” Rantos stated in his opinion, which is not legally binding and will be followed by a court judgement expected in the new year.
Players and clubs participating in the breakaway league would be disqualified from FIFA and UEFA competitions, according to their warnings.
Prior to public outcry prompting a change of heart, six clubs from the Premier League and three each from LaLiga and Serie A initially agreed to join the European Super League.
The opinion from Rantos noted that national federations and leagues would be able to threaten sanctions against clubs entering competitions “which would risk undermining the objectives legitimately pursued by those federations of which they are members”.
UEFA said in response: “UEFA warmly welcomes today’s unequivocal opinion recommending a ruling of the CJEU in support of our central mission to govern European football, protect the pyramid and develop the game across Europe.”
It described the opinion as “an encouraging step towards preserving the existing dynamic and democratic governance structure of the European football pyramid”.
UEFA added: “Football in Europe remains united and steadfastly opposed to the ESL, or any such breakaway proposals, which would threaten the entire European sports ecosystem.”
