GREEN LIGHT FOR RETURN OF SUPER LEAGUE PLAN

EDROPEAN COURT RULES UEFA ABUSED POSITION’ BY STOPPING THE FORMATION OF RIVAL COMPETITION

- Giuseppe Muro

THE prospect of a European Super League (ESL) has been boosted after judges this morning ruled that UEFA and FIFA rules banning breakaway competitions were contrary to EU law.

A ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said that UEFA acted illegally and were "abusing a dominant position" by blocking the formation of the ESL in 2021.

The court said such rules were "contrary to competition law and the freedom to provide services", given UEFA create and regulate their own competitions and commercial rights.

The ECJ said its judgment "does not mean that a competition such as the ESL project must necessarily be approved", but it appears to have given the green light to the prospect of any such competition being relaunched.

UEFA threatened to sanction clubs who planned to join the original ESL after 12 clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham, announced the formation of the breakaway competition in April 2021.

Only Real Madrid and Barcelona are still publicly backing the project after the six English clubs, Atletico Madrid and the two Milan teams, AC and Inter, swiftly pulled out after a backlash from fans, players, coaches, domestic leagues, governing bodies and even national governments.