- ECJ ruled last December that Uefa rules blocking the formation of a Super League were contrary to EU law
- Original plan collapsed in 2021 amid fan protests and opposition from governing bodies
The promoter of the European Super League has contacted Uefa and Fifa to seek official recognition for its new competition.
The original Super League was launched by 12 European soccer clubs – including the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ – in April 2021 but quickly collapsed amid fan protests and opposition from the continental and global governing bodies.
Now, promoter A22 wants the rebranded Unify League to be given approval.
A22 felt Uefa had abused a dominant position in blocking the original competition’s formation in 2021, and took the matter to court.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled last December that the old authorisation rules used by Uefa to block the Super League were contrary to EU law.
Uefa’s rules had been amended prior to the judgement being handed down, and it believes they are now compliant with EU law.
The ECJ said that rules governing the authorisation of new competitions needed to be transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate, which A22 claimed as a victory.
Premier League clubs publicly distanced themselves from joining the Super League in the wake of the ECJ ruling, but A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart told the PA news agency in April he had held direct conversations with top-flight English clubs since the ruling was handed down.
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A22 said on 17th December it had now modified the league’s qualification system so that it was based on annual domestic league performance.
A22’s new proposal will feature four leagues with a total of 96 teams involved. Its letter to Uefa, seen by the PA news agency, says over 200 clubs will qualify to the leagues either directly or for the competition playoffs from their domestic leagues each year.
It is confident the new competition complies with Uefa’s definition of the ‘European Sports Model’ because annual qualification depends on domestic league performance.
The letter, seen by the PA news agency, accused Uefa of subjecting A22 to “recurring, intense resistance” over the competition in the past.
“Now that the CJEU ruling has applied the law and fundamentally changed the governance standards in international club football, the era of conflict should be behind us and we are hopeful all parties can come together to work jointly for the good of the sport,” it stated.
A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart said in a media release: “Now is the time for all stakeholders, including Uefa and Fifa, to bring real innovation that prioritises fan experience and affordability, player welfare and match competitiveness.
“We remain committed to fostering relationships built on mutual respect, transparency, and constructive dialogue. The fans, players, clubs, leagues and other groups that make up the football community deserve nothing less.”
Uefa’s current authorisation rules set four tests which A22 must pass for the Unify League to be given approval, around administrative and financial, sporting and technical, ethical and sporting merit considerations.
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