What’s happened?
The five-year saga of the European Super League is officially over. Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid have followed domestic rivals Barcelona in withdrawing from the controversial breakaway competition, effectively ending a dispute that threatened to reshape the landscape of European football.
UEFA announced on Wednesday that Real Madrid had ended its ‘legal disputes’ with the governing body, reaching a new agreement that brings a close to years of legal wrangling. The move leaves no remaining founding clubs committed to the project, signaling a decisive victory for UEFA and the established European football structure.
In a joint statement, UEFA, European Football Clubs, and Real Madrid CF declared they had reached an agreement “for the good of European club football,” adding that the agreement “will also serve to resolve their legal disputes related to the European Super League, once such principles are executed and implemented.”
The collapse of the Super League project, initially announced in April 2021, was swift and dramatic. Twelve leading European clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid – initially signed up to the breakaway competition. However, intense backlash from fans, governing bodies, and governments led to a rapid exodus, with all six English clubs withdrawing within 72 hours.
Barcelona’s withdrawal last week paved the way for Real Madrid to follow suit, leaving the Spanish club as the sole remaining proponent of the Super League. Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated the club would now aim to build closer ties with UEFA, seeking a path back into the fold. “We feel very close to UEFA and the EFC,” Laporta said, “We are determined to take this step because it benefits European football and clubs.”
The initial proposal envisioned a semi-closed competition featuring 20 clubs, including 15 permanent members, aiming to provide greater financial stability and control for the participating teams. The founding clubs were promised a substantial upfront payment of €3.5 billion to support infrastructure investment and offset the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside solidarity payments exceeding €10 billion over the course of the initial commitment period.
However, the concept faced widespread condemnation due to its closed-shop format, which excluded the possibility of promotion and relegation and threatened the competitive balance of European football. UEFA responded sharply, warning of sanctions including bans from national leagues and exclusion from international tournaments.
Following the initial collapse, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus remained committed to the project and pursued legal action against UEFA and FIFA, arguing that the governing bodies were abusing their dominant position by blocking the formation of the Super League. Juventus eventually withdrew from the plans last year.
Just four months ago, Real Madrid was seeking “substantial damages” from UEFA after a court in Madrid found the governing body and LaLiga had been practicing anti-competitive behavior. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had stated the club would “tirelessly pursue” its right to organize a competition outside of UEFA’s control.
The agreement between Real Madrid and UEFA marks a significant shift in stance, signaling a willingness to compromise and resolve the long-standing dispute. The details of the agreement remain to be fully disclosed, but This proves expected to involve the resolution of ongoing legal battles and a commitment to working within the existing European football framework.
Conrad Wiacek, head of analysis and consulting at Sportcal, noted that the Super League was “a power grab” by top clubs seeking a larger share of the financial pie. “The ESL gamble has unequivocally failed,” Wiacek said. “Some format changes were introduced to appease the bigger clubs, but the likes of Real Madrid will have to continue sharing the money with the minnows.”
The possibility of a Super League has surfaced periodically over the past few decades, often as a negotiating tactic by top clubs seeking concessions from UEFA during discussions about Champions League reforms. However, this latest attempt represents the most advanced stage the project has ever reached.
Tom Greatrex, chief of the Football Supporters’ Association, welcomed the news, stating that Florentino Pérez’s “European Zombie League has shambled along dead on its feet for years.” Greatrex added, “It’s taken Pérez almost five years to understand what fans instinctively knew – the European Super League would be widely despised, and it was never going to work.”
