Twelve of Europe’s biggest clubs are reportedly in negotiations to launch the ever-rumoured European Super League, planned to start in time for the 2023-24 season, with a £4.6 billion fund backing the project.
🚨 In the coming hours, 12 very big European clubs (the 3 Spanish, the 3 Italians and the English clubs) should formalize the creation of a European Superleague. In its first version there are no French and German clubs. War with UEFA.
— Mohamed Bouhafsi (@mohamedbouhafsi) April 18, 2021
If the proposal becomes is successful, it is bound to threaten the existence of the UEFA Champions League, football’s biggest club competition, with UEFA due to announce on Monday their Swiss-style 36-team format for the tournament planned to stave off attempts by the top clubs to break away.
Initially, it was reported by The Times that five of the Big Six of the Premier League’s executives had met together to discuss about the new break away league, with Manchester City not in the picture but recent news has confirmed that even they are a part of this new proposal.
DETAILS OF THE SUPER LEAGUE
The plan is for the Super League to evolve to roughly 15-18 teams, but the primary 12 co-signers to the deal are the six English clubs, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid from Spain, and Juventus and both Milan clubs from Italy. The new league represents the American takeover of elite European football, which will become a closed shop run by its founder members.
The Super League is reportedly the brainchild of Real Madrid President Florentino Perez. (Image Courtesy: Real Madrid / Website)
It is bankrolled by US banking titan JP Morgan and is the brainchild of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and the American owners of three leading English clubs. Presently, PSG and Bayern Munich have not yet decided to join the proposed idea.
It is believed Perez will hold the chairman’s role in the new league’s structure, with Liverpool’s John W. Henry, Joel Glazer of Manchester United and Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke as vice-chairmen. JP Morgan are believed to be debt financing the new league to the tune of £4.6 billion and each of the twelve teams that have signed the proposal are set to receive around £310 million as a signing-on fee followed by up to £213m per season.
John W. Henry, principal owner of Liverpool. (Image Courtesy: Liverpool / Website)
UEFA had drawn up plans to re-model the format of the Champions League, with the new-look competition due to be disclosed on Monday, ahead of UEFA’s Executive Committee meeting in Switzerland this week.
The idea is planned to come into force in 2024 with the re-modelled Champions League would involve 36 teams playing 10 group games rather than six. The biggest clubs would also receive an increased share of prize money.
REPURCUSIONS FROM FIFA AND ASSOCIATIONS
In January, FIFA released a joint statement with UEFA that warned players that they could be banned from upcoming World Cups if they take part in the Super League:
“In light of recent media speculation about the creation of a closed European ‘Super League’ by some European clubs, FIFA and the six confederations once again would like to reiterate and strongly emphasise that such a competition would not be recognised by either FIFA or the respective confederation.
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA. (Image Courtesy: FIFA / Website)
Hours after the news of the proposed idea emerged, UEFA, along with the English Football Association, the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), LaLiga, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A, released a statement condemning the idea of the creation of the Super League.
“UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.”
(Image Courtesy: UEFA / Website)
“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.”
The Premier League also released a statement on its own:
“The Premier League condemns any proposal that attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the domestic and European football pyramid. “Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best. We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.”
“The Premier League is proud to run a competitive and compelling football competition that has made it the most widely watched league in the world. Our success has enabled us to make an unrivalled financial contribution to the domestic football pyramid.”
“A European Super League will undermine the appeal of the whole game, and have a deeply damaging impact on the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs, and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.”