The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA went too far by threatening players and teams with sanctions for participating in the Super League.
The ruling says that Uefa and FIFA rules requiring any new project like the Super League to get their approval, as well as banning clubs and players from participating in them, violate EU competition and freedom of services laws.
The court said the two football organizations "abused their dominant position" when they cracked down on a rival league because their rules were not "transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate".
The decision means that clubs are allowed to create and participate in their own tournaments, such as the Super League, and UEFA and FIFA have no right to ban or sanction teams and players who take part in alternative competitions.
- In April 2021, the top 12 football clubs in Europe — Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico, " Juventus, Milan and Inter — created the Super League, which was supposed to become an alternative to club competitions under the auspices of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). However, the project collapsed when teams began to withdraw one by one from the Super League after two days of vocal opposition from fans and UEFA, which threatened to sanction teams for participating in the Super League.