In a significant development, the EU Court of Justice has ruled in favor of the European Super League (ESL) in its legal case against FIFA and UEFA. The backdrop of the case is the attempt by 10 teams, including six from the Premier League, to form a new division to secure their financial future amid the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
While English clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea withdrew from the ESL plans, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus remained committed to the venture. FIFA and UEFA, in response, threatened sanctions against the clubs involved and sought to safeguard their own competitions.
Led by A22 Sports, the case was taken to the EU Court of Justice, aiming to prevent FIFA and UEFA from imposing sanctions if the ESL were to proceed. The court ruled that attempts to ban Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus from domestic leagues and tournaments like La Liga and the Champions League would be considered ‘unlawful.’
The statement from the court mentioned, “The FIFA and UEFA rules making any interclub football project subject to their prior approval, such as the Super League, and prohibiting players from playing in those competitions, are unlawful.” Additionally, it asserted that FIFA and UEFA were abusing their dominant positions, and their rules on approval, control, and sanctions were unjustified restrictions on the freedom to provide services.
A22 Sports CEO Bernd Reichart, responding to the court’s decision, declared football to be “free” and mentioned that clubs were now liberated from the threat of sanctions. He further proposed free viewing of all Super League matches for fans and guaranteed revenues and solidarity spending for clubs.
This legal victory for the ESL has led to speculation about the formation of ESL 2.0, potentially involving 80 teams in different divisions.
