Breaking News: Liverpool stance after Super League victory as UEFA lose major court decision

In regards to the ESL, the European Court of Justice has decided that UEFA and FIFA violated EU and competition law.

Liverpool owner John W. Henry apologised for his role in the foundation of the European Super League

Following the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) ruling that UEFA and FIFA had broken EU and competition law by preventing the establishment of the European Super League (ESL) in 2021, there is a renewed sense of hope for the league’s future.

Twelve clubs—Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Internazionale, Juventus, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid—joined forces in April 2021 to attempt to establish an ESL breakaway competition that would function independently of the domestic and international leagues in which they currently participated.

Within 48 hours of its announcement, the plans were in ruins as football vehemently rejected the proposal that had shocked the league and provoked a strong backlash from clubs, supporters, organizations, and politicians. In an uncommon appearance, John W. Henry, the supremo of Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool, apologized on camera for his role in getting the team involved in the mess.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus stuck to the plan until the latter began to remove itself from it earlier this year, while nine of the twelve clubs reversed course on the ESL. The two giants of Spain continue to support the idea.

The company that originated the ESL, A22, has fought the issue in European courts, arguing that UEFA and FIFA were not allowed to threaten clubs and players with sanctions if they attempted to start competitions of their own.

The advocate general of the European Court of Justice, Athanasios Rantos, made his recommendations in December of last year. The final ruling was delivered on Thursday morning, December 21. The advocate general’s non-binding opinion stated that UEFA and FIFA should be able to prevent the formation of new competitions, like the doomed ESL, and punish teams that engage in breakaway projects.

However, the ECJ’s final ruling that FIFA and UEFA had engaged in illegal activity has not supported that opinion. A22 and its plans to hold an ESL competition in the future will benefit from this decision. It is final and non-appealable.

The FIFA and UEFA regulations requiring prior approval of interclub football competitions, like the Super League, are illegal under EU law, according to an ESL statement regarding the ruling.

They are illegal in terms of competition and service provider freedom.

“It is illegal for clubs and players to participate in competitions where FIFA and UEFA regulations require their prior approval for any new interclub football project, like the Super League. There is no structure in place to guarantee that the FIFA and UEFA regulations are fair, impartial, non-discriminatory, and proportionate.

The regulations that grant FIFA and UEFA exclusive authority over the commercial exploitation of the rights associated with those competitions also serve to limit competition, considering the significance of those events for the European Union’s media, consumers, and television watchers.

That being said, approval is not a prerequisite for a competition like the Super League project. The Court’s decision does not address that particular project because it was asked broad questions regarding FIFA and UEFA regulations.

The ruling may have an impact on the European game in the future, but it is unlikely to alter Premier League clubs’ positions given the presence of an independent regulator and the fact that some clubs, like Liverpool, have amended their articles of association to require approval from an appointed supporters board before taking any such action.

Liverpool’s position on the ESL has not changed since the club decided to withdraw from the plans in 2021, claiming that their participation had been “discontinued.”

“There should be no ambiguity to suggest otherwise; we are absolutely committed to seeing that through,” a statement sent to the ECHO said.

The owners of the biggest Premier League teams were hoping to increase revenue after their teams’ success, and they were partially satisfied with the results of the redesigned Champions League, which offers more opportunities to qualify and more money. Additionally, the expanded FIFA Club World Cup will be relaunched starting in 2025. In light of its media deals, the Premier League can be considered a de facto Super League when compared to its European counterparts.

On social media, A22 CEO Bernd Reichart expressed his thoughts about the ruling, writing, “We have won the right to compete.” It’s no longer the UEF monopoly. Football is not expensive. Clubs are now able to decide their own futures without fear of punishment.

Although there might not be any immediate effects on European football, this decision does allow some of the continent’s leagues that have been marginalized and underappreciated by the Premier League and its massive media deals to pool resources and establish rival competitions in an attempt to generate income.

The ECHO was informed earlier this month by Daniel Haddad, head of commercial at international sports advisory firm Octagon, that “it will open up a can of worms in other leagues, not particularly the Premier League.” It will demonstrate whether a club feels unfairly treated or whether they are unwilling to accept sanctions. Will this make it possible for them to exert influence elsewhere? They might declare, “You’ve done this, we don’t like it, and we’re going to team up with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.”

There isn’t anything in the market that I believe would seriously harm the Premier League’s reputation, so that’s the only way I can see it being impacted. However, suppose in the next two or three years a product that combines the top teams from a few other leagues makes its way to market. In that case, it might pose a threat to the UK market. Real Madrid and Barcelona are essentially the only teams that can compete with the Premier League in the long run, which is why they are pushing so hard for that kind of structure.

“I see nothing that would happen to harm the product to the point where people would start tuning in to La Liga or the Bundesliga more if the structure of European football remains the same in terms of a ‘open’ Champions League.

The Premier League’s collective strength is what keeps the six clubs that made threats to quit from the competition from ever facing harsh punishment, including massive deductions or expulsion. In the event that one or two of the “top six” suffer setbacks, the Premier League as a whole—rather than just one or two—will be resilient enough to endure it.