Spanish Court Orders FIFA, UEFA To Cease Opposition To Super League
A Spanish judge has ordered FIFA and UEFA to cease their opposition to the European Super League (ESL), ruling that their
Spanish Court Orders FIFA, UEFA To Cease Opposition To Super League
A Spanish judge has ordered FIFA and UEFA to cease their opposition to the European Super League (ESL), ruling that their actions constituted anticompetitive behavior and abuse of their dominant position.
Judge Sofia Gil Garcia determined that the governing bodies violated European Union law by preventing clubs from participating in the proposed new professional soccer championship. The court's statement, released on Monday, emphasized that these actions breached EU regulations.
The ruling, issued by Gil Garcia, mandates FIFA and UEFA to immediately undo any previous anticompetitive measures. The case was initiated by A22 Sports Management, the sports development company behind the ESL, against the Spanish Soccer Federation, Spain's LaLiga, UEFA, and FIFA, all of which had obstructed the formation of the ESL.
'The era of the monopoly is now definitively over," A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said in a statement after the ruling, calling it "an important step towards a truly competitive and sustainable club football landscape in Europe".
Reichart added that UEFA had stifled innovation for decades, stating that clubs "should not have to fear threats of sanctions simply for having ideas and conversations."
Judge Gil Garcia's ruling followed a similar decision by the European Court of Justice in December. Both La Liga and UEFA emphasized that the ruling did not explicitly endorse the creation of the Super League.
"The judgment does not give third parties the right to develop competitions without authorization and does not concern any future project or, indeed, any modified version of an existing project," UEFA said in a statement.
The proposal in 2021 for a breakaway league by Europe's 12 leading clubs sparked widespread protests among fans and threats of sanctions by UEFA, leading nine of the clubs to pull out. A22 had argued that UEFA and FIFA held a monopolistic position that breached the EU's Competition and Free Movement Law. The ECJ ruled against UEFA and FIFA, though it did not specifically address whether the ESL could proceed.
In April 2021, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, and nine other top European clubs announced the plan for the ESL. However, the move collapsed within 48 hours after a public outcry forced Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid to withdraw.