The European Super League Ruling: UEFA and FIFA Found to Have Violated Competition Law
After collapsing in 2021, the controversial European Super League has once again made headlines. The European Court of Justice has ruled that both UEFA and FIFA violated competition law by blocking the breakaway project.
The Uncertain Future of Football
Two and a half years ago, plans were announced to create a new football competition consisting of Europe’s top teams. However, fans quickly condemned the proposal, leading nine clubs, including Liverpool, to backtrack on their decision to join the league within 24 hours.
FIFA and UEFA took action to block the formation of the Super League and sanctioned clubs expressing their interest in participating. However, A22, a company formed to facilitate the league’s start-up, later challenged the governing bodies’ authority to do so.
It has now been confirmed that both FIFA and UEFA acted against competition law in their measures, raising concerns that club owners may be encouraged to join the project once again.
Liverpool’s Response
Liverpool swiftly reversed their plans to join the league following fan protests and the threat of further punishment. Principal owner John W. Henry issued an apology for the disruption caused by the situation.
Since then, Liverpool has maintained its stance against any future attempts to revive the project. In a statement to The Guardian in 2021, the club emphasized its commitment to discontinue involvement and follow legal advice to appropriately end its participation.
Liverpool’s Unchanged Position
While Manchester United has released a statement regarding the recent developments in the Super League saga, Liverpool has chosen not to comment. However, the club’s position remains unchanged, with no intention to join any future breakaway attempts.
Although supporters may have concerns after the latest developments, it appears that there are no plans to revive the widely criticized project from April 2021.
The Future of the Champions League
The European Super League aimed to replace the current UEFA Champions League, which is also undergoing significant changes. The competition will now adopt a Swiss format, with 36 teams divided into four pots of nine. The top eight teams will advance directly to the last 16, while teams ranked between nine and 24 will compete in an additional playoff round.