New soccer Super League meets opposition in Europe

Plans were announced on Sunday for a new soccer “Super League” that is causing all sorts of drama in Europe.

Twelve clubs have agreed to join “The Super League,” which will be separate from UEFA and Europas Leagues. The league looks to bring together some of the top teams in Europe into an exclusive league that promises huge financial returns.

The “Big Six” from the Premier League (Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hot Spur) are part of the Super League. So are three teams from Italy (AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus) and three teams from Spain (Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid).

There is big money behind the project: the New York Times says each team has been promised more than $400 million to join.

The league intends to have 15 permanent members and 20 overall. It presumably would want the top teams in Germany and France, but those clubs appear to have resisted joining so far.

The league would compete with the Champions League in Europe, which led to backlash from UEFA, which organizes the Champions League. UEFA was prepared to announce a new design for the Champions League on Monday.

The Premier League in England, UEFA and some politicians in Europe have blasted the proposed league. They believe it will completely disrupt and threaten all the existing structures of European soccer and likely cause a huge loss of money for many teams, which could potentially lead to bankruptcy for them.

UEFA threatened to ban teams that compete in the Super League.

“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, La Liga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever, UEFA said in a statement.

“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.

“As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.

“We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough.”

The league could still face some opposition. Some of the teams involved are clubs that could require approval from their fans/members, who could reject the move.