- The European Court of Justice rules in favor of the European Super League, declaring FIFA and UEFA’s actions unlawful
- The court states that attempts to ban players from participating in a breakaway competition like the Super League are unlawful
The European Court of Justice has ruled in favour of the European Super League (ESL) in its case against FIFA and UEFA.
Triggered by the pandemic’s financial impact, 12 teams, including six from the Premier League, initially announced plans to establish a new division to secure their financial stability. While English clubs and some others withdrew, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus remained committed to the proposed league.
FIFA and UEFA responded by threatening sanctions to protect their own competitions, prompting A22 Sports to take the case to the European Court of Justice. The aim was to prevent the governing bodies from imposing sanctions if the European Super League materialized.
In a groundbreaking decision, the court ruled that any attempt to ban players from participating in a breakaway competition like the Super League would be deemed “unlawful.”
The statement issued by the court declared, “The FIFA and UEFA rules, making any interclub football project subject to their prior approval, such as the Super League, and prohibiting players from playing in those competitions, are unlawful.”
Moreover, the ruling stated, “However, the powers of FIFA and UEFA are not subject to any such criteria. FIFA and UEFA are, therefore, abusing a dominant position. Moreover, given their arbitrary nature, their rules on approval, control, and sanctions must be held to be unjustified restrictions on the freedom to provide services.”
It’s important to note that the court did not pass judgment on the specific Super League project but rather on the legality of FIFA and UEFA’s actions.
This ruling marks a significant turn in the ongoing battle between the football establishment and breakaway league proponents, potentially reshaping the landscape of European football.