UEFA not permitted to ban Super League
The Court of Justice of the European Union has rocked European relations within the world of sport. In its long-awaited ruling, the Court found that UEFA ‘abused its dominant position’ by imposing sanctions on the twelve clubs that founded the Super League – an elite football competition – back in 2021.
Court ruling
The sanctions that UEFA imposed on the clubs violated European competition law. The Court of Justice ruled that the football association is not permitted to simply ban competing leagues ‘in the interest of sport’. The Court stated that ‘transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate’ conditions need to be formulated (Volkskrant).
‘UEFA got a slap on the wrist – a firm punch on the chin,’ Stefaan Van den Bogaert, Professor of European Law, told Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. ‘But the Court also didn’t say this means the Super League can start tomorrow.’
For now, it is unclear what the future holds for a new top league. The various interested parties are currently at loggerheads, but Van den Bogaert expects that they will eventually come to a solution.
More information
For more information about the Court’s ruling or the Super League, read the full article in Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant.
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