The promoters of the European Super League have contacted UEFA and FIFA to seek official recognition for its new competition.
The original Super League was launched by 12 European clubs – including the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ – in April 2021 but quickly collapsed amid fan protests and opposition from the continental and global governing bodies.
Now, promoters A22 want the rebranded Unify League to be given approval.
A22 felt UEFA had abused a dominant position in blocking the original competition’s formation in 2021, and took the matter to court.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled last December that the old authorisation rules used by UEFA to block the Super League were contrary to EU law.
📣NEWS: Today, we submitted our proposal for official recognition of a new European competition to UEFA and FIFA: introducing the Unify League, with modified qualification system based on domestic league performance.https://t.co/M72nhYtJ2oWatch CEO Bernd Reichart explain: pic.twitter.com/yN81V5NVcI
— A22 Sports (@A22Sports) December 17, 2024
UEFA’s rules had been amended prior to the judgement being handed down, and it believes they are now compliant with EU law.
The ECJ said that rules governing the authorisation of new competitions needed to be transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate, which A22 claimed as a victory.
Premier League clubs publicly distanced themselves from joining the Super League in the wake of the ECJ ruling, but A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart told the PA news agency in April he had held direct conversations with top-flight English clubs since the ruling was handed down.
A22 said on Tuesday it had now modified the league’s qualification system so that it was based on annual domestic league performance.
UEFA has been contacted for comment.
