The European Union’s top court concluded Thursday that football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA have acted unlawfully by threatening to sanction players and clubs joining unauthorized competitions like the attempted European Super League.
The ruling opens the possibility for Europe’s biggest football clubs to form new rival competitions without approval from sport’s major governing bodies. However, the European Court of Justice did not rule the Super League concept itself must be approved.
The court decision states that rules requiring UEFA and FIFA consent for new competitions are “unlawful,” calling them “arbitrary” restrictions limiting economic freedoms. The judges noted the two organizations hold exclusive control over commercial and media rights, unfairly depriving clubs of potential revenue streams.
Still, the ruling does not necessarily greenlight the Super League, which was proposed in 2021 as a largely closed rival to UEFA’s lucrative Champions League. The project has been scaled back since, with suggestions of more participants and no permanent membership.
In statements Thursday, UEFA defended its competition regulations as compliant with EU law. The UK government says pending domestic regulation will thwart any future English involvement in breakaway leagues.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are the last holdouts from 12 original Super League founders. All English clubs plus six more teams quickly abandoned the plan amid public backlash criticizing the group’s secrecy and sport’s Americanization.
