European Super League’s Quick Rise and (Apparent) Demise
The world of soccer was sent into a frenzy on April 18, 2021, when 12 of the world’s largest and most prestigious soccer clubs announced they were forming an independent “Super League” to exist outside of FIFA, UEFA, and the traditional domestic leagues (i.e., the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A). However, within 48 hours, the European Super League appears destined to disappear almost as abruptly as it began. Several of the founding clubs have announced their withdrawal from the Super League amid intense backlash and opposition from fans, FIFA, other clubs, and government officials.
What was the European Super League?
Twelve of the most prestigious soccer clubs had announced they were establishing and governing a new mid-week competition outside of the purview of FIFA and UEFA, the governing bodies of global and European soccer, respectively. These included the “Big Six” clubs of the English Premier League (Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham) and the three largest clubs from Spain’s and Italy’s top leagues (Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus). The effort was led the President of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez.
How would the European Super League work?
The Super League planned to consist of 20 total participating clubs, including 15 “founding” clubs and five others that would qualify for the Super League annually based on achievements from the prior season. None of the founding clubs would be subject to relegation.
The teams would play midweek games with all participating clubs while continuing to play in their domestic league competition. The clubs would be split into two divisions of 10, with clubs playing one home and one away match against each club in their respective division. The top three clubs in each division would qualify for a playoff, with the fourth and fifth placed team in each division competing for the final quarterfinal playoff spot.
Why form the European Super League?
Economics was clearly a driving force, as the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reduced revenues for soccer clubs throughout Europe. The press release announcing the establishment of the Super League noted:
The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model …. The pandemic has shown that a strategic vision and a sustainable commercial approach are required to enhance value and support for the benefit of entire European football pyramid.
Of the 12 founding clubs, only Chelsea is not operating under significant debt. Each of the founding clubs have been promised a share of €3.5 billion by investment bank JP Morgan.
Another motivation was improving fan interest and the quality of competition. Perez said the movement will “save football” at a time when young people are “no longer interested” in soccer because of “a lot of poor quality games.” When the Super League was announced, Perez said:
We will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world. Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires.
The Fallout
As soon as the Super League was announced, it was met with heated opposition from all sides. FIFA and UEFA officials decried the proposal and other clubs and officials called for swift and immediate sanctions, including banning the 12 clubs from the current UEFA Champions League campaign and their respective domestic competitions.
Former players and commentators, including former Manchester United player Gary Neville, expressed their “disgust,” claiming the move was motivated by greed and would damage the integrity of the game. Countless current players for the clubs expressed their disapproval on social media. More than 1,000 Chelsea fans blocked traffic outside of their home stadium in disapproval. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and English politicians also expressed condemnation, vowing to explore all measures to stop the proposal.
In response to the protests, Manchester City and Chelsea were the first to opt out of the Super League, announcing their decision late on April 20. Within hours, the remaining English clubs (Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham) similarly announced they would be withdrawing. Other reports indicate that AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid were planning to opt out as well.
Jackson Lewis’ Sports Law Industry Group will continue to monitor these ever-changing developments. Please feel free to reach out to any member of the Sports Law Group with questions.
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