After a decade when it has not been a serious agenda item the idea of a breakaway European Super League is back on the agenda of football. This time it is not a group of media interests but Europe’s top clubs that are considering the idea.
After a decade when it has not been a serious agenda item the idea of a breakaway European Super League is back on the agenda of football. This time it is not a group of media interests but Europe’s top clubs that are considering the idea.
The Champions League has been a great success, indeed arguably it is now a bigger success both in commercial terms and standards of play than the World Cup. However, many top clubs, among them leading English clubs, think that its full potential has not been realised.
A breakaway from Fifa and Uefa is also attractive because of the fixture congestion and injury problems caused by international football. Clubs are also fed up with the governance problems at Fifa, the dictatorial position of Sepp Blatter and his resistance to new technology. A breakaway from Uefa would also tackle the problems caused by its financial fair play rules.
However, if the national associations wanted to remain affiliated to Fifa and Uefa, they could presumably not admit the breakaway clubs to their domestic leagues and clubs would want to continue to play there.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the clubs potentially interested in the concept.