World
European Super League: Revamped competition could have up to 80 teams
A European Super League with up to 80 teams and a minimum of 14 matches guaranteed for each club has been proposed by the competition’s chief executive.
Nearly 50 European clubs and stakeholders have spoken with Bernd Reichart, CEO of European commercial sports development company A22 Sports Management, since October.
Based on the feedback, A22 set out 10 principles for the new, open, multidivisional Super League, which would be based “solely on sporting merit.”
The measures included are as follows:
• Participation would be based on a club’s domestic performance and there would be no permanent members;
• players’ health should be safeguarded and a key component in determining the number of matches played each year;
• competitions would be governed by clubs rather than third parties;
• the women’s game should be developed and promoted side-by-side with the men’s;
• and at least €400 million (£354.6 million) would be invested in non-participating clubs, social causes, and grassroots each year.
It also suggested that spending should be based “only on resources generated” by clubs and “not from competition-distorting injections”.
Clubs would only be allowed to spend a fixed percentage of their annual football-related revenue on player salaries and net transfers.
A22 v UEFA
In 2021, A22 challenged the right of European governing body UEFA and world football governing body FIFA to block the formation of the Super League and impose sanctions on competing clubs in the courts.
In a meeting with A22 in November, UEFA stressed its “overwhelming” opposition to the proposed new league. This came after it was made to drop its attempt to enforce disciplinary action and fines on clubs involved by an injunction.
Later this year, the European Court of Justice will rule on whether UEFA has an unfair monopoly and market dominance on the running of club competitions.
A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart says ‘threat of sanctions is used to stifle opposition’. Pic: Boris Breuer
Mr Reichart said: “Our objective is to present a sustainable sporting project for European club competitions available to, at a minimum, all 27 EU Member States as soon as possible after receipt of the judgment.
“The issues are clear, and action must be taken for the benefit of fans, players, and clubs.”
The chief executive added that “clubs bear all entrepreneurial risks but too often are forced to sit on the sidelines when key decisions are made, and they are watching their sporting and financial foundations crumble.
“Our discussions have made clear clubs are often unable to publicly speak up against a system where the threat of sanctions is used to stifle opposition.”
He highlighted the proposal as “the building blocks” to achieve change.