A Madrid commercial court has issued a ruling in favour of the creators of the European Super League (ESL), declaring that Uefa and Fifa were unjustified in their ban of clubs from participating in the breakaway competition. The court determined that the actions of the European and global governing bodies amounted to anti-competitive behaviour and an abuse of their dominant position.
This development follows a similar ruling by the European Court of Justice in December. A22 Sports Management, the entity behind the ESL, brought the case to court against Uefa, Fifa, Spain’s La Liga, and the Spanish football federation (RFEF).
Uefa has revised its regulations with regard to new competitions following the collapse of the ESL in April 2021, and the court has clarified that these new rules are unaffected by the recent ruling. Both Uefa and La Liga have emphasized that the ruling does not constitute an endorsement of the ESL or its propositions.
Nonetheless, Bernd Reichart, chief executive of A22, viewed the ruling as a significant stride towards a more competitive and sustainable club football environment in Europe. He indicated that the ruling signifies “the era of the monopoly is now definitively over” and criticized Uefa for hindering innovation among clubs.
The saga of the ESL commenced in April 2021 when 12 teams, including prominent English clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham, signed up for the breakaway competition. The plans were met with immediate backlash from fans, other European leagues, and government officials, leading to the collapse of the proposal within 72 hours.
While six Premier League clubs and three other teams were penalized by Uefa, legal action against Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus was temporarily halted. Despite this, Juventus announced their intention to withdraw from the project in July.
Simon Stone, BBC’s chief football news reporter, remarked that irrespective of the varying perspectives on the recent ruling, significant changes in football are forthcoming. A22, advocates for clubs to join a ‘rebel’ tournament, are yet to unveil concrete plans. Meanwhile, under the leadership of Paris St-Germain chair Nasser Al-Khelaifi and chief executive Charlie Marshall, the European Clubs’ Association is gaining momentum.
The ruling has sparked a fresh series of conflicting statements, but it is evident that the football landscape is on the cusp of transformation.