The European Super League (ESL) was first proposed in April 2021. It took merely 48 hours for the plan to take a downturn. What demotivated the plan was a cry from big leagues like FIFA and UEFA, along with some clubs pulling their names from the list. The move was termed abuse of dominating position by the said leagues.
Now the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has intervened to conclude that no league can interfere with the formation of the Super League. The European Court has specifically called out the attempts to restrict a new league. However, ECJ has also not given a clean chit to ESL.
FIFA and UEFA have taken this in their favor, saying that the court’s ruling has not changed anything. On the other hand, ESL believes it now has the right to proceed with the plan as usual.
Twelve European clubs proposed the idea of the ESL with the intention of putting rising stars and established players on the same field. Widespread protests forced nine clubs to pull out their names. It is true that the game of football can be viewed on different spectrums, but it is also true that a new league cannot hamper the existing ecosystem of the sport.
Authorities have clarified that ESL meets all the requirements, including, but not limited to, the yearly calendar of events.
Clubs that withdrew did so after UEFA reportedly threatened them with sanctions. A justification in this regard comes from the fact that UEFA has been organizing events for 70 years, and ESL emerges as a major threat to the lucrative Champions League. Aleksander Ceferin, the President of UEFA, interacted with the media to say that he hopes ESL begins at the earliest with two clubs.
Call it arrogance, but FIFA has joined that section with a diplomatic statement, saying that it respects the European Court and would take a call in association with other confederations, UEFA, and member associations.
According to the sports news, Bernd Reichart, the Chief Executive Officer of A22, continues to defend his position in support of the Super League. He has said that the league is fan-centric, adding that it would win over them through the competitive tournament that is free to watch on television. Reichart has assured that the Super League will be compatible with domestic league calendars.
He has support from some of the most notable football clubs: Barcelona and Real Madrid. The President of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, has said that the ruling is after and before the sport. Barcelona has expressed their satisfaction with the Court, saying that the Super League’s creation would eventually address fixture overload by having international and local players at the center.
The case is in development. ESL faces backlash from big names like FIFA and UEFA, but it also has support from its core team and notable clubs.
