Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Football Super League gets red card from EU court aide

Football Super League gets red card from EU court aide

In an explosive opinion, advocate general backs football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA.

UEFA 2, Super League 0.

The Court of Justice of the European Union may deliver a huge blow to the breakaway Super League after a court legal adviser handed down an opinion Thursday that falls firmly on the side of football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA.

UEFA and FIFA have the right to use tough measures to protect their existing tournaments without falling foul of EU competition law, wrote Advocate General Athanasios Rantos. The court aide's opinion is usually followed in judges' final rulings and the court should come out with that in spring 2023.

Rantos wrote that the governing bodies’ existing rules — which require prior approval for new leagues — were “compatible with EU law.” Crucially, he added that EU law did not prohibit UEFA and FIFA from threatening sanctions against clubs that would join rebel leagues. He also came down on UEFA and FIFA’s side regarding the “exclusive marketing” of the rights to their tournaments.

The opinion is a major setback to the Super League, which had complained that UEFA ran an illegal monopoly in European football and hopes that the court would open a new pathway for it. It also wanted UEFA’s roles as the sport's operator and regulator to be broken up — but that now looks almost certain not to happen.

Antitrust regulators have appeared sympathetic to players' arguments that sporting federations wield monopoly-like powers over where they can compete. A landmark 2017 antitrust decision from the European Commission slammed International Skating Union rules that forbade athletes from competing in rival events.

But logic contained in the ISU opinion also delivered Thursday, where Rantos pointed out that “the mere fact that the same entity performs the functions of both regulator and organizer of sporting events does not in itself entail an infringement of EU competition law,” is a clear boost for UEFA’s current structure.

The opinions point toward sports governing bodies being “let off the hook most of the time” by EU competition law as interpreted by the EU’s top court, said Pablo Ibáñez Colomo, professor of law at the London School of Economics.

“The moment Rantos says the object of these measures — whether it is the pre-authorization, whether it is the sanctions — is not anticompetitive, then I think it's all over,” he told POLITICO, adding that the opinion follows established case law.

The opinion also marks a defense of the European Sports Model with its key tenets of open competition and solidarity. If followed by the judges, it will strengthen UEFA and FIFA's role in governing football.


'Clear rejection'


After the setback, the Super League scrambled for morsels of comfort in the opinion.

In a statement, Bernd Reichart, CEO of A22 — the company promoting the Super League — said it was "pleased with the recognition of the right of third parties to organize pan-European club competitions." He said the advocate general had "made clear that UEFA has a monopolistic position which comes with important responsibilities for enabling third parties to act freely in the market."

On the other side, Europe's football establishment was jubilant over an opinion that is seen as a "resounding victory,” according to one senior official.

In a statement, UEFA said it “warmly welcomes today’s unequivocal opinion recommending a ruling of the CJEU in support of our central mission to govern European football, protect the pyramid and develop the game across Europe.”

The European Club Association, which represents nearly 250 clubs across the Continent, said that the opinion “proposes a clear rejection of the efforts of a few to undermine the foundations and historical heritage of European football for the many.”

Javier Tebas, the outspoken head of Spain’s La Liga, which Super League holdouts FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are members of, said that his league would “continue to fight for [the] right of European institutions to legislate and provide legal protections for the current European football model.

And the Continent’s leading fan group, Football Supporters Europe — which lambasted Super League chiefs at a heated meeting in Switzerland in October — echoed those thoughts.

It said the opinion “chimes with the position of football supporters across the Continent. Giving even more money and power to a few would be catastrophic, enriching a handful of clubs at the expense of all other levels of the game.”

A dozen of Europe’s leading football clubs launched the proposed Super League in April 2021, but the project collapsed after several clubs pulled out following two days of vociferous opposition from fans, high-profile players and coaches, other clubs and politicians.

Organizers of the rebel league, however, promptly complained to a Madrid court that UEFA and FIFA were running an illegal monopoly in European football. The Madrid court referred the case to EU judges in Luxembourg, and the EU’s top court heard arguments in July 2021.

Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus remained solidly in favor of the project, with the latter two currently facing economic and legal problems.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
×