European Super League would feature up to 80 teams with no permanent members, say organisers

By Sports Desk February 09, 2023

Organisers of the European Super League project are ready to include up to 80 teams in the competition, as they battle to turn the vision into a reality.

In a new manifesto published on Thursday, it was revealed clubs would be split into divisions and guaranteed at least 14 matches per season.

The intention is for clubs to participate in their domestic leagues alongside the European Super League.

According to Super League organisers A22, which describes itself as the company "formed to sponsor and assist" the development of the competition, almost 50 European clubs and stakeholders have been canvassed since October.

The "vast majority" are said to "share the assessment that the very foundation of European football is under threat, and it is time for change".

Bernd Reichart, CEO of A22, said: “Clubs bear all entrepreneurial risks but too often are forced to sit on the sidelines when key decisions are made, and they are watching their sporting and financial foundations crumble.

"Our discussions have made clear clubs are often unable to publicly speak up against a system where the threat of sanctions is used to stifle opposition.

"Our dialogue has been honest, direct, and fruitful. There are clear conclusions about the need for change and the building blocks of how to achieve it."

The 10-point manifesto covers issues including player health and investment in women's football, but the competition that is currently thought to have only three clubs openly supporting its development – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – also makes it clear this should be a mass-participation event.

The original plans, revealed in April 2021, involved just 12 top clubs, with most backing out immediately after a wave of anger from across the game. Six were from England, three from Spain and three from Italy. It was feared it would be closed to others.

Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain were among clubs that declined to become involved in the project.

Fears have been expressed that such a competition would be harmful to existing domestic leagues.

The new manifesto states: "A European football league should be an open, multi-divisional competition with 60 to 80 teams, allowing for sustainable distribution of revenues across the pyramid.

"Participation should be based on annual sporting merit and there should be no permanent members."

It adds: "Participating clubs should remain fully committed to domestic tournaments as they are today.

"At the same time, the critical need to strengthen and make more competitive domestic tournaments across the continent must be addressed.

"European competitions should play a pivotal role in helping to achieve this goal by generating and allocating additional resources throughout the system."

With clubs' finances coming under scrutiny, the A22 statement adds: "Financial sustainability rules should allow clubs to only spend a fixed percentage of their annual football-related revenue on player salaries and net transfers with appropriate provisions for smaller clubs and transition rules."

European Super League bosses last month succeeded in restoring an injunction preventing UEFA and FIFA from punishing clubs wishing to be involved in the controversial project.

The European Union's Court of Justice (CJEU) is due to rule in the coming months on whether the long-standing European and world governing bodies would be entitled to freeze out a European Super League and its competing teams.

Related items

  • ISSA Champions Cup draw sets up thrilling matchups ISSA Champions Cup draw sets up thrilling matchups

    The stage is set for another thrilling chapter of schoolboy football as the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Champions Cup draw, conducted at SportsMax Studios on Tuesday, revealed a series of captivating matchups.

    Chief among the fixtures to kick off this weekend’s quarterfinal round is the clash between reigning champions Glenmuir High and former champions Kingston College, as the tournament, which brings together the best from the Manning Cup and daCosta Cup competitions, promises fierce battles and a showcase of young talent.

    Glenmuir High have been in impeccable form this season and are high-riding favourites to go all the way in the daCosta Cup. To begin their Champions Cup defence against Kingston College (KC) will certainly test their mettle, but they have so far displayed that they possess enough quality to overcome any challenge.

    According to assistant coach Johnoy Chambers, Glenmuir, now making their fourth Champions Cup appearance, are riding high on years of developmental work.

    “What we are doing at Glenmuir is just continuing the hard work we’ve been doing for the past three to four years. Being here is very important to us because the school strives to be the best both on and off the field," said Chambers.

    Kingston College, a nine-time participant and winner in 2019, brings a legacy of dominance and is hungry to reclaim their place at the summit of schoolboy football.

    In a historic clash, Ocho Rios High will make their second Champions Cup bow against debutants St Catherine High. Ocho Rios have been in good knick this season and will aim to continue that run of form, but St Catherine, under the stewardship of veteran coach Anthony Patrick, are determined to make an impact.

    Patrick, a two-time Manning Cup-winning coach with Bridgeport, expressed pride in his team’s achievement. 

    “It’s a joy for me to have a team here. We’ve been building well from preseason, and it’s now coming out on the field. We are going to give it our best shot," Patrick declared.

    In another interesting clash, Hydel High will mark their fourth appearance in the Champions Cup when they face Garvey Maceo, who are no strangers to the tournament with six appearances.

    Hydel, known for their resolute defence and quick transitions, will be eager to stamp their authority on the competition. However, Garvey Maceo are seasoned campaigners, and their current crop of players will look to rise to the occasion in this encounter. 

    Meanwhile, Jamaica College (JC), a nine-time participant and 2022 Champions Cup winners, are peaking at the right time and, as such, will start favourites in their encounter against McGrath High, the reigning Ben Francis Cup champions.

    Jamaica College’s decorated history speaks for itself, and members of Davion Ferguson’s current unit are seasoned in high-stakes matches. Still, they will be relying on tactical discipline to continue their rich history, while McGrath, buoyed by their recent cup triumph, will look to continue their upward trajectory.

    Champions Cup Fixtures

    Hydel High vs Garvey Maceo

    Ocho Rios High vs St Catherine High

    Jamaica College vs McGrath High

    Glenmuir High vs Kingston College 

     

     

     

  • Wales promotion 'hasn't sunk in' for Bellamy after 4-1 Iceland win Wales promotion 'hasn't sunk in' for Bellamy after 4-1 Iceland win

    Wales secured promotion to League A after beating Iceland 4-1 at home in their final Nations League group match, having gone a goal down early on.

    Their victory, alongside a 3-1 defeat for Turkiye away to Montenegro, means that Craig Bellamy's side topped their group by a point.

    "The feeling hasn't quite sunk in yet, but it's been a real positive camp Whatever the result of this game, it's just been a positive camp," said Bellamy after the match.

    "The targets we set right from the start, I feel we've been able to achieve."

    Wales started the day knowing they needed to win and for results to go their way to top the group, but went a goal down after seven minutes after Andri Gudjohnsen followed up from a Danny Ward save.

    It was the first goal Wales had conceded at home in 321 minutes and the first time they had been behind under Bellamy, but they responded well. The hosts managed to control the rest of the half, with Lewis Cullen scoring twice in the final 15 minutes of the first period.

    The determination of his team to stick to the plan was something that pleased Bellamy immensely.

    "There were one or two tests today that I feel we've been able to progress [through]. If they had happened one or two games ago, we might not have been able to.

    "Where we're at, you go 1-0 down in the first few minutes and you get a performance like that.

    "Then after that, when the crowd get a little bit edgy and try to force things for us... No, no. We keep the ball because we believe that's going to benefit us, and the players were able to do that."

    In the second half, Wales were able to dominate and bagged goals from Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson to make things more comfortable.

    "I thought we took control of the tempo of the game and we're a good team if we're able to do that," said Bellamy.

    On promotion itself, the Wales manager could not overstate the importance of being able to mix with the biggest teams in international football in Europe.

    "For where we want to be and where we want to go, it's huge. It's so important for us," he said.

  • Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-1 Netherlands: Koeman's side wrap up group stage campaign with away draw Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-1 Netherlands: Koeman's side wrap up group stage campaign with away draw

    Netherlands ended their Group A3 campaign in the Nations League with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Stadion Bilino Polje on Tuesday. 

    Ronald Koeman's side, who had already secured their place in the quarter-final heading into the final group fixture, finished with nine points - five fewer than group winners Germany. 

    Brian Brobbey gave a second-string Oranje the breakthrough in the 24th minute when he headed home a cross from Noa Lang following a short corner kick. 

    But Ermedin Demirovic scored on the rebound, after Edin Dzeko's initial effort was stopped by goalkeeper Mark Flekken, to help Bosnia salvage a point in the 67th minute, as the hosts finished bottom of the group with two points. 

    Earlier, Dzeko's shot was cleared off the line by Jorrel Hato in the first half and the Bosnia captain also had a goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up just past the hour mark, before Sergej Barbarez's side found the leveller. 

    Data Debrief: Bosnia's spirited comeback

    The home side ended the first period without registering a single shot on target and only creating an expected goals (xG) of 0.54, compared to the Netherlands' xG of 1.29. 

    But they were a much-improved side after the break as they restricted the visitors to zero shots on target while recording three of their own to secure a point. They ended the second half with an xG of 0.46, which bettered the Netherlands' xG of 0.37 despite being lower than their first-half effort. 

    Prior to this fixture, Bosnia and Herzegovina had lost all four of their 2024-25 Nations League matches in which they were losing at half-time. But they fought back this time to end their League A stay with a draw.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.