The European Super League was a proposed annual club football competition that would have featured top European clubs. The concept was officially announced in April 2021 but faced immediate backlash from fans, players, and football governing bodies.
The league was intended to be a closed competition with 20 participating clubs, including 15 founding members who would have permanent spots regardless of their performance. This format was criticized for undermining the traditional promotion and relegation system that exists in domestic leagues.
Major clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, and Liverpool were among the founding members. However, within 48 hours of the announcement, most English clubs withdrew following widespread protests from fans and threats of sanctions from UEFA and FIFA.
The proposed Super League threatened the existing European football structure, particularly the UEFA Champions League, and raised concerns about the commercialization of football at the expense of sporting merit and fan engagement. |
