By Daniel Edu
A22, the organizers of the contentious European Super League, have revealed a revised blueprint for the league in response to a ruling by the European Court of Justice deeming the prohibition of clubs from participating in a breakaway league as unlawful.
The revamped design for the European Super League proposes a comprehensive structure featuring 64 men’s clubs and 32 women’s clubs, encompassing the elite teams in European men’s and women’s football.
In the men’s competition, there would be two top tiers—the Star League and the Gold League—each consisting of 16 teams. The Blue League, the bottom tier, would comprise 32 clubs, with a mechanism for promotion and relegation between tiers.
The top eight teams from each league would advance to the knockout stages, featuring quarter-finals and semi-finals played over two legs. The finals would be conducted at neutral venues. The bottom 20 teams in the Blue League would face relegation, making room for high-performing clubs from domestic leagues across Europe.
Promotion and relegation would be applied between tiers, with the two teams reaching the finals in the Gold and Blue leagues earning promotion, while the bottom finishers in the Star and Gold leagues would be relegated.
Match schedules would be arranged midweek, allowing the new competition to run concurrently with European domestic leagues. The proposed women’s competition would follow a similar model.
As of now, participating clubs and prize money details have not been disclosed. The new European Super League format is anticipated to be a formidable contender against existing UEFA tournaments when it eventually commences.
The European Club Association (ECA) issued a statement clarifying that the court’s judgment does not endorse any form of Super League project. The statement emphasizes the unity of stakeholders across football, condemning attempts by a few individuals to undermine the fundamental principles of European football. The ECA views football as a social contract rather than a legal one, emphasizing the collective commitment of confederations, federations, clubs, leagues, players, and fans against such endeavors.
