Which teams have said NO to the European Super League?

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 22 Dec 2023 17:12 GMT
• 4 min read

The European Super League has returned to the forefront of the continent’s football world after the European Court of Justice ruled that FIFA and UEFA acted "unlawfully" by blocking the creation of the competition.

As a result, A22 Sports Management have publicly stated their vision for a new European club competition, with Real Madrid and Barcelona among the clubs keen on backing the division.

Radical changes have been made to the original format of the Super League, with a far more balanced proposal that includes three tiers, with promotion and relegation each season.

However, many people feel there are still major issues with the current proposed format, most notably that it takes away from domestic performance.

While the European Super League would not replace any domestic league, it would diminish the importance of each league when it comes to qualifying for European competition.

Essentially, for Premier League clubs, finishing in the top four every season would not be a requirement to secure a place in the European Super League each campaign.

Although Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are known backers of the Super League, there are several teams across Europe who are not keen on joining the competition and have publicly stated that they are against the idea of joining a European Super League.

Which clubs have rejected a place in the European Super League?

So far, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are among the clubs to have publicly stated that they are fully behind UEFA and have no intention of leaving the Champions League/Europa League/Conference League for the European Super League.

Liverpool were late in announcing their opposition to the plan but did so in clear terms with a brief statement published on their official website: "Yesterday’s ruling by the European Court of Justice does not change Liverpool FC’s previous stance on a proposed European Super League. Our involvement has been discontinued.

"We will continue to work with fellow clubs through the ECA and participate in UEFA competitions."

Atletico Madrid are another team to express their desire to reject the Super League. They posted the following statement with a dig towards their Spanish counterparts: “The European football community does not support the European Super League. Germany, France, England, Italy, Spain (except for Real Madrid and Barcelona), etc. oppose the Super League.

“We advocate for protecting the broader European football family, preserving domestic leagues, and securing qualification for European competitions through on-field performance each season.”

Marseille president Pablo Longoria, meanwhile, said that the inauguration of a Super League would be a "catastrophe".

Representatives from the Premier League, Ligue 1, the Eredivisie and others have already spoken out and stated that their divisions do not support the Super League.

It remains to be seen if the European Super League will have enough suitors to get off the ground or if UEFA will continue to oversee Europe-wide club competitions.