The European Super League was a proposed annual club football competition that would have featured top European clubs. The concept was first seriously proposed in 2021 by 12 founding clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, and several English Premier League teams.
The announcement of the Super League in April 2021 sparked immediate backlash from fans, football governing bodies, and governments across Europe. Critics argued it would destroy the traditional football pyramid and create a closed competition that prioritized money over sporting merit.
Within 48 hours of the announcement, all six English clubs withdrew from the project following massive fan protests. The remaining clubs eventually suspended their participation, though Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus maintained their commitment to the concept for some time.
The proposed format would have included 20 clubs - 15 permanent founding members and 5 qualifying teams based on domestic performance. This permanent membership structure was particularly controversial as it eliminated relegation for founding clubs.
Despite the initial failure, discussions about reforming European competitions continue, with UEFA introducing changes to the Champions League format while some clubs still explore alternative competition models. |
