What have the Super League done?
The Super League clubs have sent a letter to FIFA president Gianno Infantino and UEFA counterpart Aleksander Ceferin stating the ESL has already been underwritten by funding of £3.5 billion from a financial institution.
Investment bank JP Morgan have said it is financing the new breakaway competition.
What does the letter say?
“Twelve of Europe’s leading football clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs,” the Super League letter read.
“It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.
“We are concerned that FIFA and UEFA may respond to this invitation letter by seeking to take punitive measures to exclude any participating club or player from their respective competitions.
“Your formal statement does, however, compel us to take protective steps to secure ourselves against such an adverse reaction, which would not only jeopardize the funding commitment under the grant but, significantly, would be unlawful. For this reason, SLCo (Super League Company) has filed a motion before the relevant courts in order to ensure the seamless establishment and operation of the competition in accordance with applicable laws.”
“It is our duty, as SLCo’s board members, to ensure that all reasonable actions available to protect the interests of the competition and our stakeholders are duly taken, given the irreparable damage that would be suffered if, for any reason, we were deprived of the opportunity to form promptly the Competition and distribute the proceeds of the Grant.”
How will the Super League work?
The clubs say that 15 founding clubs – the 12 who have reached the agreement plus three who they expect to join – will be joined by five other teams who qualify each season.
They say the games will be played in midweek, starting in August, with teams playing home and away fixtures in two groups of ten, with the top three in each group automatically qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Teams finishing fourth and fifth will then compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarter-final positions. A two-leg knockout format will be used to reach the final at the end of May, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue.
The clubs said that a women’s league will also be launched “as soon as practicable” after the start of the men’s competition, but provided no further details.
What else has been said?
Florentino Perez, President of Real Madrid and the first chairman of the Super League said: “We will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world. Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires.”
Andrea Agnelli, chairman of Juventus and vice-chairman of the Super League said: “Our 12 Founder clubs represent billions of fans across the globe and 99 European trophies. We have come together at this critical moment, enabling European competition to be transformed, putting the game we love on a sustainable footing for the long-term future, substantially increasing solidarity, and giving fans and amateur players a regular flow of headline fixtures that will feed their passion for the game while providing them with engaging role models.”
Joel Glazer, co-chairman of Manchester United and vice-chairman of the Super League said: “By bringing together the world’s greatest clubs and players to play each other throughout the season, the Super League will open a new chapter for European football, ensuring world-class competition and facilities, and increased financial support for the wider football pyramid.”
What does the future hold for Agnelli?
Agnelli has resigned as chairman of the European Club Association and the UEFA Executive Committee while Juventus have also left the ECA.
Will clubs still be able to play in domestic competitions?
The Super League clubs say that all participating clubs will continue to compete in their domestic leagues, “preserving the traditional domestic match calendar which remains at the heart of the club game.”
The clubs also say that they wish to implement the Super League project in agreement with FIFA and UEFA.
UEFA, the Premier League and other top European leagues, however, said in a joint statement on Sunday that this would not be the case.
They said: “As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.”
What has FIFA said?
FIFA released a statement after the announcement: “In view of several media requests and as already stated several times, FIFA wishes to clarify that it stands firm in favour of solidarity in football and an equitable redistribution model which can help develop football as a sport, particularly at global level, since the development of global football is the primary mission of FIFA.
“In our view, and in accordance with our statutes, any football competition, whether national, regional or global, should always reflect the core principles of solidarity, inclusivity, integrity and equitable financial redistribution. Moreover, the governing bodies of football should employ all lawful, sporting and diplomatic means to ensure this remains the case. Against this background, FIFA can only express its disapproval to a “closed European breakaway league” outside of the international football structures and not respecting the aforementioned principles.
“FIFA always stands for unity in world football and calls on all parties involved in heated discussions to engage in calm, constructive and balanced dialogue for the good of the game and in the spirit of solidarity and fair play. FIFA will, of course, do whatever is necessary to contribute to a harmonised way forward in the overall interests of football.”
Who opposes it?
Before the Super League’s confirmation, the French Football Federation released a statement, stating their opposition while Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also not supporting the ESL.
There is a belief at the top of PSG that it would be disrespectful to join the 12 clubs backing these plans.
They are keen to discuss UEFA’s proposal after it is presented on Monday.
PSG are also thought to believe that European competition should not be restricted to the richest clubs, and that smaller teams like Atalanta, Ajax or Leicester should have their shot.
A source added: “We are sticking to the tradition of UEFA.”
What has the reaction been?
Before the announcement, a Premier League statement read: “The Premier League condemns any proposal that attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the domestic and European football pyramid.
“A European Super League will undermine the appeal of the whole game, and have a deeply damaging impact on the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs, and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.
“We will work with fans, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA, as well as other stakeholders, at home and abroad, to defend the integrity and future prospects of English football in the best interests of the game.”
Gary Neville also called for Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal to be relegated if they were to join a European Super League.
Speaking to Sky Sports before the Super League was confirmed, he said: “Let them break away but punish them, punish them straight away. If they announce a letter of intent has been signed as six clubs, they should be punished heavily, massive fines, point deductions, take the titles off them, who cares.
“Give the title to Burnley and Fulham. Let Fulham stay up, relegate Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal because they should be the ones who suffer the most.”
And what about UEFA’s reformed Champions League?
UEFA wants a new format for the Champions League from 2024, with one 36-team league replacing the current group stage, where every team plays 10 matches.
This is called the ‘Swiss model’.
Under the proposed format, by the time the winner has lifted the European Cup, the competition will have produced 100 new games, and the finalists will have played at least 17 matches, four more than under the current system.
Accommodating four additional games in the autumn will be a challenge for most national leagues, however, including in England, where the Carabao Cup would be under threat.
Three of the four extra Champions League places would meanwhile go to clubs based on past performance in Europe, using the UEFA coefficient ranking system.
Where can I find out more?
For a detailed explainer on the plans and implications of the ESL, Go Deeper below.
(Photo: Visionhaus)
