OFFICIAL: European Court gives green light to European Super League

The 21st December was expected to be the key day to find out the future of the European Super League project. Everything had come to a standstill after the complaint filed by the Super League against FIFA and UEFA for the monopoly that, in its opinion, had been subjected to the rest of the organisations in order to be able to organise new competitions in the world of football. Therefore, the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union was key for both parties.

About 20 minutes after the scheduled time for the reading of the judgments, the Court set out the judgment for the Superliga-UEFA-FIFA case. A very clear position: "The FIFA and UEFA rules on prior authorisation to organise football competitions, such as the European Super League, violate European Union law". A news that changes absolutely everything and gives the green light to the project.

The European Court details that both FIFA and UEFA require prior authorisation to create any kind of competition and that those bodies that do not pass this control expose themselves to a sanction. Both clubs and players involved. The Court believes that these criteria "are not transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate".

Furthermore, the monopoly they have had over the last few years in Europe is being criticised: "FIFA and UEFA are associations under private law and based in Switzerland. Their aim is to promote and supervise football worldwide, but they have adopted rules that give them the power to authorise club competitions, with their corresponding media rights. They opposed the 12-club project to create the European Super League under threat of sanctions.

However, it also acknowledges that the Super League should also comply with a transparency framework: "A competition such as the Super League should not necessarily be authorised. When the Court was asked in general about the FIFA and UEFA rules, it did not rule on this specific project in its judgment." The Court is somewhat distancing itself from supporting the project as such.

"The Court points out that the organisation of competitions and the exploitation of media rights are economic activities. They must therefore respect the rules of competition and free movement", the European Court clarifies.

 

December 21, 2023