Super League suffers crushing European Court defeat

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:00 CDT
• 2 min read

The European Super League has suffered a damaging loss at the European Court of Justice, throwing the project, which has been headed by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus into jeopardy.

In the case, the Advocate General of the Court ruled that UEFA is not in breach of European competition rules. It is not a final judgment: the Advocate General has simply advised the European Court in the performance of his duties. However, it is a strong indication that the final ruling, which is due in March 2023, will not be in the favour of the breakaway.

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In an official statement, the Advocate General writes: “While the ESLC [European Super League Company] is free to set up its own independent football league outside the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, it cannot continue to participate in the football competitions organised by FIFA and UEFA without the prior consent of those federations.”

The Advocate General adds, among other things, that the rules of UEFA and FIFA are not in conflict with EU competition rules.

International associations, like member federations or their national leagues, are also free to threaten sanctions if clubs enter a new league that undermines the goals of the federations of which they are members’.

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Who were the original 12 clubs in the European Super League?

The original format of the controversial European Super League had 12 participants: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Inter, AC Milan and Juventus.

Very quickly, almost all clubs withdrew after fierce criticism and threats from UEFA and FIFA, as well as widespread protests from supporters.

Only Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona are still strongly in favour of the new competition.