Renamed Super League Submits Plans For 96-Team Competition

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Super League promoters on Tuesday revealed they have asked FIFA and UEFA for “official recognition” of their proposed competition, renamed the “Unify League”, leaning on a ruling from Europe’s top court.

A22 Sports Management stated that it had been considering the proposal after speaking with various leagues, clubs, and other parties about changing its qualification system so that participation is based on annual domestic performances.

It has plans for competitions with 96 teams split into four leagues, with the quarter-final round of competitions beginning in the quarter-finals.

In a statement, A22 argued last year’s European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling meant that “any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established”.

Promoters added that live streaming of matches would be available for free.

A22 CEO Bernd Reichart stated that “our extensive engagement with key stakeholders revealed a number of pressing issues facing the sport, including rising subscription costs for fans, an overloaded player calendar, insufficient investment in women’s football, and dissatisfaction with the governance of the current pan-European competitions.”

“Our proposal is designed to directly address these challenges”.

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Furious backlash&nbsp,

This combination of file pictures made on April 19, 2021, shows the logos of the following European football clubs: (top, L-R) Liverpool on May 30, 2019 in Madrid, Manchester United on July 5, 2013 in Manchester, Arsenal on March 2, 2019 in London, Chelsea on March 13, 2020 in London, (middle, L-R) Manchester City on April 10, 2021 in Manchester, Tottenham Hotspur on March 2, 2019 in London, Real Madrid on May 20, 2014 in Lisbon, Barcelona on September 28, 2016 in Moenchengladbach, (bottom, L-R) Atletico Madrid on May 20, 2014 in Lisbon, Juventus on May 26, 2019 in Genoa, Inter Milan on April 7, 2021 in Milan, and AC Milan on September 10, 2006 in Milan. Paul ELLIS, Pierre-Philippe MARCOU, Odd ANDERSEN, Marco BERTORELLO, Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS, Paco SERINELLI, Isabel INFANTES, Isabella BONOTTO, Tim KEETON, Jose Manuel RIBEIRO / AFP

In early 2021, when 12 of Europe’s biggest clubs announced they were participating in the planned Super League, there was a furious backlash from fans and a stark warning from UEFA that participating clubs and players would be barred from competitions like the World Cup, they were hit with a bombshell.

Real Madrid and Barcelona continue to be strong supporters of the project despite nine of the 12 rebel clubs backing down within 48 hours, including six from the English Premier League.

The ECJ ruled last year that UEFA had violated EU law by abusing its “dominant position” in European football to stifle an established breakaway league of elite clubs.

However, it received scorn and rejection when the Super League promotion company used the victory to announce plans for a new 64-team competition to compete with or replace UEFA’s flagship Champions League.

A Spanish court in May claimed that FIFA and UEFA had “prevented free competition” by opposing the Super League, but UEFA insisted that it had not formally opposed the organization.

The decision does not, according to UEFA, “allow third parties to develop competitions without authorization” and does not apply to any upcoming projects or even modified versions of existing projects.

The governing body of European football also pointed out that new regulations have since been implemented to ensure that the game is now in line with EU law.