European Super League facts for kids
 |
|
| Sport | Association football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 18 April 2021 (Proposal) |
| Founder | Florentino Pérez |
| CEO | Bernd Reichart |
| Administrator | Florentino Pérez |
| Organising body | A22 Sports Management S.L. |
| Motto | "One For All" |
| Divisions |
|
| No. of teams | 2 |
| Countries | 1 (Spain) |
| Region |  Europe |
| Qualification | No qualification requested, semi closed competition |
| TV partner(s) | Unify Platform |
| Level on pyramid |
|
| Tournament format | semi closed |
| Official website | a22sports.com |
| Notes | |
| The competition has never been played, it’s just a proposal with only 2 supporters | |
The European Super League (ESL), also called The Super League, is a proposed new football competition for top club teams in Europe. It was planned by a company called the European Super League Company, S.L. The idea was for it to compete with or even replace the UEFA Champions League.
The first plan for the league involved 20 teams. 15 of these teams would be "founding members" who would always be part of the league.
Florentino Pérez, the president of Real Madrid, was a main leader of the ESL. Other club leaders like Andrea Agnelli (Juventus), Joel Glazer (Manchester United), John W. Henry (Liverpool), and Stan Kroenke (Arsenal) were also involved. However, most of them quickly pulled out because their clubs and fans were against it. By 2023, only Pérez and Barcelona's president, Joan Laporta, were still strongly supporting the ESL.
When the European Super League was announced in April 2021, many people were against it. Fans, players, coaches, and even other football clubs spoke out. Major football groups like UEFA and FIFA, along with some governments, also opposed it. Critics worried that the ESL would be unfair and only for a few rich teams. They said it would lack real competition because the same top teams would always play, making it a "semi-closed league."
Because of all the strong negative reactions, nine of the clubs that were supposed to join, including all six English clubs, decided to leave. However, eight of these clubs are still connected to the project in some way. In April 2021, the ESL said it was stopping its plans for a while. This led to a legal dispute. Courts have since ruled that FIFA and UEFA should not stop the ESL from developing.
In October 2022, a company called A22 Sports Management, which helps create the Super League, announced they would try to restart the competition. On December 21, 2023, the European Court of Justice made a decision. It said that banning the ESL would go against European Union law.
Contents
What is the European Super League?
The Idea Behind the League
The idea for a "super-league" has been discussed for many years. People wanted a competition that would be more exciting for TV and bring in more money for clubs.
In 1987, clubs like A.C. Milan, Real Madrid C.F., and Rangers F.C. thought about a "Super League." They wanted a league format, not knockout games, to attract more TV viewers and earn more money. This plan was stopped by UEFA.
Later, in 1995, clubs like AFC Ajax, FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich, and Manchester United F.C. secretly planned a similar league. It would have 36 "important" clubs. This idea also failed because UEFA and FIFA threatened to punish the clubs involved.
In 2009, Florentino Pérez of Real Madrid started planning for a "super-league" again. He felt the Champions League was old-fashioned and stopped clubs from growing their businesses.
By 2018, Pérez was talking to other clubs in secret. They wanted "strong financial backing" if UEFA didn't change the Champions League enough. The idea came up again in 2020. Many big clubs were losing money because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This made Pérez push the idea forward even more. An American investment company, JPMorgan Chase, promised to invest a lot of money in the league.
On April 18, 2021, Pérez announced the "formation of the Super League." Twelve clubs had signed up. These included six English clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur). There were also three Italian clubs (Inter Milan, Juventus, and Milan) and three Spanish clubs (Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid).
Pérez hoped the new league would offer "higher-quality matches" and more money for all of football. He also wanted it to attract younger fans and improve refereeing. Most of these clubs were already among the top in Europe.
Who Was Leading the ESL?
The ESL announced its leaders when it launched. Here are some of the main people involved:
| Position | Name | Nationality | Other positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Florentino Pérez |  Spain |
President of Real Madrid |
| Vice-chairman | Andrea Agnelli |  Italy |
Chairman of Juventus |
| Vice-chairman | Joel Glazer |  United States |
Co-chairman of Manchester United |
| Vice-chairman | John W. Henry | United States |
Owner of Liverpool |
| Vice-chairman | Stan Kroenke | United States |
Owner of Arsenal |
How the League Would Work
The proposed league would have 20 clubs. 15 of these would be "permanent members" or "founding clubs." The other 5 spots would be for clubs who did well in their own country's league that season.
The teams would be split into two groups of 10. Each team would play every other team in their group twice (home and away). This would mean 18 group games for each team. These games would happen during the week so they wouldn't clash with national league games.
After the group games, the top three teams from each group would go straight to the quarter-finals. The teams finishing fourth and fifth would play extra games to decide the last two quarter-finalists. The rest of the competition would be knockout games. The quarter-finals and semi-finals would have two legs (home and away). The final would be a single game at a neutral place. In total, there would be 197 games each season.
In October 2021, the European Super League Company said it was planning an open league. This new plan would have two divisions, each with 20 clubs. It was still meant to compete with the Champions League and Europa League.
Money and Promises
The ESL promised to give participating clubs a lot of money. They said these "solidarity payments" would be much higher than what existing European competitions offered. The founding clubs were also promised a large sum of money (around €3.5 billion). This money was meant to help them invest in their facilities and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ESL planned to share its commercial money in a specific way. A large part would go to all 20 teams. More money would be given based on how well clubs performed. The rest would be given based on how many people watched each club's games. Clubs would also keep all money from ticket sales and their own sponsorships.
The ESL claimed it would create more money for football overall. It said bigger clubs could then invest more in smaller clubs by paying higher transfer fees for players. The ESL also offered an annual payment of €400 million to encourage clubs to join.
Reports suggested that Barcelona and Real Madrid would get more money than other clubs in the first two years. Some clubs were promised a "welcome bonus" of €200–300 million. There were also reports of a large penalty (around €300 million) for clubs that left the project. The Super League said this penalty sum was "false."
It was also reported that FIFA, which publicly criticized the ESL, had private talks with the founders. They discussed FIFA possibly supporting the competition.
In May 2021, a contract signed by the twelve clubs was revealed. It showed that all founding clubs would own equal shares in the company. This meant that even the nine clubs who publicly left were still legally involved. Only Inter Milan officially left the project by selling its shares. The contract also confirmed that clubs would still play in their national leagues and cups. The Super League would only start once UEFA and FIFA recognized it.
In June 2021, it was reported that the six English clubs had not formally left the Spanish company. The organizers said the competition would "eventually relaunch in modified form." They also said there was "no mechanism" for clubs to withdraw without everyone agreeing. Any club leaving alone could face "unlimited fines."
What Happened After the Announcement?
Big Changes and Withdrawals
The Super League project was planned for three years. However, the final steps were rushed. The announcement was poorly planned and the group of clubs quickly fell apart under pressure.
On April 20, 2021, Chelsea publicly said they wanted to leave the Super League. Thirty minutes later, Manchester City was the first team to officially start the process of leaving. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur quickly followed. Chelsea was the last English club to officially announce its withdrawal early on April 21. On the same day, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan also confirmed they were leaving.
Within three days of its founding, nine of the twelve clubs had announced they were leaving. Only Juventus, Barcelona, and Real Madrid remained. Leaked documents suggested that clubs breaking the contract might have to pay £130 million in penalty fees.
The Super League also failed due to wider political reasons. Some news outlets wondered if the British and Russian governments played a role. Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich, reportedly withdrew because of his ties to Russia. Russia's Gazprom is a major sponsor of the UEFA Champions League. Manchester City reportedly pulled out because Saudi Arabia was thought to be a major funder for the league.
On June 6, 2023, Juventus announced they were leaving the Super League project. This was because they faced a possible 5-year ban from all European competitions if they stayed. This left only Barcelona and Real Madrid in the project.
Club Reactions
After the English clubs left, the Super League said they would "reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project." They still wanted to offer fans the best experience and increase money for football. Andrea Agnelli blamed the failure on Brexit. He said the Super League probably wouldn't happen in its current form. However, he still believed in the "beauty of the project."
Florentino Pérez said that none of the founding clubs had officially left. He said they were bound by contracts. He promised to work with football's governing bodies to make some form of the Super League work. Pérez blamed the English clubs for giving up. He insisted the Super League project was only paused, not over. Barcelona president Joan Laporta agreed, saying a Super League was "absolutely necessary" for clubs to survive.
UEFA started disciplinary actions against Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid. These three clubs strongly criticized UEFA. They said they would not accept any "coercion or intolerable pressure." They wanted to discuss solutions for football. In May, the Super League filed a complaint against UEFA and FIFA. They believed UEFA and FIFA broke EU competition laws by stopping clubs from breaking away. They hoped European courts would protect their right to organize the competition.
In June 2021, it was reported that the six English clubs still owned shares in the Spanish company. The Super League organizers believed the project would "eventually relaunch in modified form." Arsenal and Manchester United denied these reports. They said they had no intention of rejoining the Super League.
Arsenal's chief executive, Vinai Venkatesham, apologized to other Premier League clubs and fans. Arsenal's owner, Stan Kroenke, also apologized to players and staff. Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich, and the board also expressed "deep regret" for joining. Chelsea later announced that fans would have a say in board meetings.
Liverpool owner John W. Henry apologized to fans, players, and coach Jürgen Klopp. Manchester United's co-chairman Joel Glazer also apologized "unreservedly" to fans. Manchester City's chief executive Ferran Soriano said the board "deeply regretted its actions." Tottenham Hotspur also apologized. They said the project was a "framework agreement" that would have changed through talks with football bodies and fans.
Consequences for Clubs and Leagues
While fan protests in Spain were quieter, supporters of English clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur demanded their owners sell their clubs. Manchester City fans were among the first to protest and withdraw from the ESL.
Leaders from the "Big Six" English clubs resigned from various league committees. The Premier League CEO, Richard Masters, asked them to resign or be fired. Other Premier League clubs called for staff layoffs at the Big Six clubs. The FA started an official investigation against the Big Six. The Premier League began changing its rules to prevent similar attempts in the future.
In June, the Big Six clubs agreed to pay a total fine of £22 million to the Premier League. Individual teams would face fines of £25 million and lose 30 points if they joined a future breakaway league. The British government also agreed to new rules to prevent breakaway leagues. For example, non-British players for a future breakaway club in England could have their work permits taken away.
The president of Spain's La Liga, Javier Tebas, said the current European football system works well. However, he agreed with the Super League on some points, like how competitions and clubs are managed.
On April 26, 2021, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) passed a new rule. Any Italian team joining a breakaway league not recognized by FIFA, UEFA, or FIGC would be kicked out of Italian football. FIGC President Gabriele Gravina confirmed that Juventus, the only Italian club still in the Super League project, could be expelled from Serie A.
UEFA president Čeferin welcomed the clubs back after the Super League failed. UEFA said these clubs must sell their Super League shares. They also had to donate €15 million to youth football and sign a promise not to join similar leagues again. They would face big fines for future rule breaking.
UEFA started disciplinary actions against Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid for staying in the Super League. However, these actions were paused because of court rulings in Spain and Switzerland. These clubs were still allowed to play in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League. A company called A22 Sports Management tried to cancel UEFA's agreement with the nine clubs and stop the disciplinary case against the other three. A court in Madrid ruled that UEFA and FIFA could not punish the Super League clubs. In September, UEFA dropped its cases against Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid. They also did not ask for the money offered by the other nine clubs.
JPMorgan Chase, the bank that was going to fund the Super League, said they were surprised by all the opposition. They admitted they "misjudged how this deal would be viewed by the wider football community."
The British government announced a "fan-led review" into how English football is run. This review would look at changes to club ownership. It would also examine rules like the "50+1 rule" used in Germany, which gives fans more control.
Fan Protests
After the European Super League collapsed, many fan groups in England continued to protest. They wanted changes to club ownership and for the "50+1 rule" to be introduced.
The first protests happened on April 19. Fans of Manchester City and Manchester United protested outside their stadiums. On April 22, about twenty Manchester United fans entered the club's training ground. They demanded that the Glazer family sell the club.
On April 23, over 8,000 Arsenal fans protested outside the Emirates Stadium. They wanted Stan Kroenke to be removed as owner. Josh Kroenke said the owners had no plans to sell. On the same day, Tottenham Hotspur fans protested outside their stadium, calling for Daniel Levy and ENIC Group to be removed. On April 24, about 2,000 Manchester United fans protested outside Old Trafford against the Glazer family. Before a game on May 2, thousands more protested. About 200 fans even broke into the stadium, causing the game to be postponed.
On April 25, Manchester City fans protested at Wembley Stadium before a cup final. They held banners saying "Sack the Board" and "Fans, Football, Owners, in that order."
Attempts to Revive the Project
On October 19, 2022, A22 Sports Management appointed Bernd Reichart as its new chief executive. Reichart used to be the CEO of a German TV company. He said the European Super League "would be relaunched within three years." He claimed European football was "becoming unsustainable" under the current system. He also said that "permanent membership is off the table." Instead, he wanted an "open competition based on sporting merit." UEFA said they would consider meeting with A22. The Premier League referred to its earlier statement, saying their clubs' actions to join a Super League were a "mistake."
UEFA met with A22 Sports Management on November 8, 2022. Many representatives from different football groups attended. They all strongly disagreed with the Super League. About 30 people were there, including UEFA president Čeferin and leaders from other clubs and fan groups. They all said they were still firmly against the Super League plan.
A new plan for the Super League was published on February 9, 2023. It said the league would have many divisions. Teams would move up or down based on how well they played. This plan was also criticized by many football groups and fan associations.
Two weeks later, on February 23, the UK government announced it would appoint an "independent regulator" for English football. This regulator's job would be to "protect English football's cultural heritage." One of its main tasks would be to stop "English clubs from joining closed-shop competitions." This was a clear reference to the European Super League.
European Court of Justice Decision
On December 21, 2023, the European Court of Justice made an important decision. It ruled that FIFA and UEFA's rules, which require their approval for new football competitions like the Super League, go against European Union law. This means that FIFA and UEFA cannot simply ban new competitions without good reason.
Football Governance Bill
In July 2024, the British government announced plans for a "Football Governance Bill." This new law would prevent English and Welsh clubs from "joining closed-shop, breakaway or unlicensed leagues, such as the European Super League."
Club-by-club timeline
- 18 April 2021; 1-2pm: News reports say 12 clubs are forming a new league.
- 18 April 2021; 23:00: The official announcement of the competition and its 12 founding members:
- 19 April 2021; 10-11am: More reports say three other clubs were invited but said no:
- Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund quickly confirmed they refused the invitation.
- 20 April 2021; 6-7pm: Reports say Chelsea and Manchester City are starting to leave after strong negative reactions.
- 20 April 2021; 21:23:
Manchester City
- officially leaves.
- 20 April 2021; 22:55:
- Arsenal
- Liverpool
- Manchester United
- Tottenham Hotspur
- officially leave.
- 21 April 2021; 00:45:
- Chelsea
- officially leaves.
- 21 April 2021; 11:27:
- Atlético Madrid
- Inter Milan
- officially leave.
- 21 April 2021:
- AC Milan
- officially leaves.
- 15 October 2021: An announcement is made confirming the European Super League is still planned. Only three clubs remain in the project:
- Barcelona
- Juventus
- Real Madrid
- 1 June 2024:
- Juventus
- officially leaves.
See also
- Sport policies of the European Union
- African Football League
- OFC Professional League
