Dispute over Super League - Far-reaching ECJ ruling: Uefa may not prohibit clubs from participating in other competitions
Uefa has suffered a defeat before Europe's highest court in the dispute over the establishment of a Super League in soccer. The major soccer associations Fifa and Uefa may not make other competitions dependent on their approval and may not prohibit clubs and players from participating in these competitions, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in Luxembourg on Thursday. However, this does not necessarily mean that the Super League must be approved, according to the judges.
There is no framework for the rules of the associations that ensures that the requirements are transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate. The rules granting Fifa and Uefa exclusive control over the commercial exploitation of competition rights would also restrict competition in the EU, according to the ruling. Fifa and Uefa were abusing their dominant market position.
"The Uefa monopoly is over": Super League advocates celebrate ECJ ruling
The initiators of the Super League immediately celebrated the ruling as a major victory. "The Uefa monopoly is over," said former RTL manager Bernd Reichart, who represents the project for the A22 agency. Uefa did not comment initially.
This was preceded by a two-and-a-half-year dispute. Twelve top European clubs had already rehearsed the big revolution in 2021. The clubs around Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus Turin announced their intention to establish a Super League to compete with the established Champions League. The outcry from leagues, fans and politicians was fierce - the project was a resounding failure. Uefa threatened to exclude players from all competitions, and players involved were no longer allowed to take part in World and European Championships. The English teams, among others, quickly withdrew and the Super League was off the table - for the time being. But Real and Barcelona in particular did not let up.
The European Superleague Company then filed a lawsuit in a Madrid court, accusing Uefea and Fifa of acting as a cartel because they opposed the creation of the Super League. The soccer associations were therefore abusing their dominant position on the market for soccer competitions. The ECJ has now largely upheld this.
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The ECJ ruling in Luxembourg allows clubs from Luxembourg, such as those in the local soccer league, to participate in competitions like the Super League without the approval of FIFA or UEFA. The defeat for UEFA in the Super League dispute could potentially open up new opportunities for soccer clubs in Luxembourg to explore international competitions. Despite the ruling, FIFA and UEFA still retain significant influence in the commercial exploitation of competition rights in soccer, a point that Super League advocates might need to consider.
Source: www.stern.de
