Plans for revamped European Super League announced after EU court rules UEFA, FIFA acted unlawfully in blocking breakaway compeition
Organisers of the European Super League, A22 have launched a new proposal after judges said UEFA rules blocking the formation of such a competition were contrary to EU law.
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice had been asked to decide whether UEFA and FIFA acted against competition law by blocking the formation of the European Super League in 2021 and then seeking to sanction the clubs involved.
The court has now ruled that UEFA and FIFA rules granting prior approval for new competitions are contrary to “EU law and the freedom to provide services” but added that the competition may still not be approved.
Following the ruling, A22 released revamped proposals, which this time include a women’s European tournament.
The plan would feature a league system with 64 clubs across three leagues in the men’s competition and 32 clubs across two leagues in the women’s competition. Both would involve promotion and relegation.
The ESL had initially been intended to be a midweek competition consisting of two groups of 10 teams, followed by a play-off phase.
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European Super League new plan.
- There will be two stages – the league stage and the knockout stage. The men’s league stage will have 64 teams split into three leagues – Star, Gold and Blue. The women’s league stage will have 32 teams split into two leagues – Star and Gold.
- Star and Gold leagues in both competitions will be 16 teams split into two groups of eight. The Blue league will be 32 teams split into four groups of eight.
- The top four teams in the two Star and Gold league groups will compete in the knockout rounds, consisting of two-legged quarter-finals and semi-finals. The top two teams in the four Blue league groups will do the same. The winners of each final will be crowned Star, Gold or Blue league champions.
- The two teams who reach the Gold and Blue finals – or just Gold in the women’s competition – will earn promotion to the league above. The teams at the bottom of the two Star league groups will be relegated to the Gold League.
- In the men’s Gold League, the two bottom-placed teams in each group will be relegated to the Blue league. 20 of the 32 Blue League teams will drop out of the competition at the end of their campaign, replaced by clubs depending on their domestic league performance.
- In the women’s Gold league, four teams will drop out of the league at the end of their campaign, replaced by clubs depending on their domestic league performance.
