Sending shockwaves across the sporting world, 12 flagship European clubs have come forward to announce their intention to participate in the European Super League – a new championship that could potentially rock the underpinnings of the EUFA Champions League.

The new European competition will feature a total of 20 clubs in a three-stage tournament (as per their website – www.thesuperleague.com). These 20 clubs will be comprised of 15 founders and 5 annual qualifiers.

There will be two groups of 10 clubs each, playing home and away fixtures within the Group each year. By bringing together flagship clubs and players in the world, the Super League expects to deliver – in their own words – “excitement and drama never before seen in football”.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham are among 12 clubs who have agreed to join a new European Super League (ESL). This also comes as a seismic move for European football as the Premier League clubs will join AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, and Real Madrid.

The ESL said the founding clubs had agreed to establish a “new midweek competition” with teams continuing to “compete in their respective national leagues”. It said that the inaugural season was “intended to commence as soon as practicable” and “anticipated that a further three clubs” would join the breakaway.

The plan is currently in opposition by FIFA and UEFA, the governing bodies for international and European soccer, respectively.

Why are fans and critics against the idea?

Many critics say that the move is being driven purely by money and would destroy domestic leagues and the integrity of the sport.

While clubs have been citing financial losses owing to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for their association with the breakaway competition, world governing body FIFA said it would not recognise such a competition, and any players involved could be denied the chance to play at a World Cup.

UEFA, Europe’s governing body, reiterated that warning when it said players involved would be banned from all other competitions at domestic, European, or world level and could be prevented from representing their national teams.

After the ESL was announced, FIFA expressed its “disapproval” of the proposed competition and called on “all parties involved in heated discussions to engage in calm, constructive and balanced dialogue for the good of the game”.

The ESL has sent a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin issuing a notice of legal proceedings in European courts designed to block any sanctions the two governing bodies may try to enforce over the formation of the ESL, BBC Sports had reported.

The format of the league

• The Super League is a new European competition between 20 top clubs comprised of 15 founders and 5 annual qualifiers. There will be two groups of 10 clubs each, playing home and away fixtures within the Group each year. By bringing together the best clubs and best players in the world, the Super League will deliver excitement and drama never before seen in football.
• Following the Group stage, 8 clubs will qualify for a knockout tournament, playing home and away until the single-match Super League championship, in a dramatic four-week end to the season.
• Games will be played mid-week, and all clubs will remain in their domestic leagues.

*With inputs from Oman News Agency