The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled this Thursday, December 21, that UEFA’s rules relating to the authorization of football competitions, such as the Super League, a dissident of the Champions League, were contrary to the right to competition. Without to encourage the creation of the competition.
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“ Fifa and UEFA rules on prior authorization of club football competitions, such as the Super League, violate EU law », indicated in a press release the court established in Luxembourg.
The Court, which rules on the rules of Fifa and UEFA in force in 2021, at the time of the launch of this procedure, considers that the powers of these two organizations “ are not governed by any criteria ensuring their transparent (…) and non-discriminatory nature “.
She specifies, however, that the Super League project, led by several of the richest clubs, “ does not necessarily have to be authorized “. The CJEU emphasizes that it rules in general and not on this specific project.
“ Football is free »
“ UEFA’s monopoly is over. Football is free », Reacted on the X network Bernd Reichart, boss of A22, the company promoting the Super League.
The threat of a partial secession of the most powerful clubs, who dream of the very lucrative model of North American closed leagues while wanting to remain in the national championships, has hovered over European football for more than twenty years.
In April 2021, twelve major clubs announced their own private competition, with enormous commercial potential, with an offensive launched at midnight, just before a vast reform of the directly competitive Champions League.
Attacked by surprise, UEFA and Fifa had threatened sanctions. The disastrous communication from the mutineers and then the strong opposition from supporters, particularly in England, had prompted several countries to consider legislative measures, pushing nine of the rebel clubs to throw in the towel. The dissident adventure collapsed in less than 48 hours.
UEFA downplays
Two years later, only the Spanish clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have not disarmed. “ We will continue to defend a modern project, fully compatible with national competitions “, declared the president of the Madrid club, Florentino Pérez, with FC Barcelona believing for its part that this decision opened “ the path to a new football competition at the highest level in Europe “.
However, the Spanish Football League, LaLiga, reiterated its opposition to the Super League project on Thursday. “ Today, more than ever, we reiterate that the Super League is a selfish and elitist model. Anything that is not fully open, with direct access only through national championships, season by season, is a closed format », Reacted the organization on the X network (formerly Twitter).
For its part, UEFA believes it has “ trust » in compliance with European law of its new rules on competing competitions such as the Super League, she explained Thursday in a press release, minimizing the impact of the setback on the form inflicted on her by European justice. “ This ruling does not mean an approval or validation of the so-called Super League. Rather, it highlights a pre-existing gap » in UEFA regulations, “ a technical aspect which has already been recognized » and corrected in June 2022 with new texts, says the European organization.
(With AFP)