A22 Sports Management, the company organized to support and facilitate the development of an independent football league, has released an update on its plans.
The European Super League (ESL) may include up to 80 teams, according to Bernd Reichart, A22 Sports Management’s chief executive.
In a new statement, the company said Reichart had spoken with 50 European clubs and football stakeholders. The majority agreed with his conclusion: ‘it is time for change’.
“The vast majority of them share the assessment that the very foundation of European football is under threat, and it is time for change,” the statement said.
It added: “Feedback suggests a European football league that is open, based solely on sporting merit, multi-divisional with 60-80 clubs and a minimum of 14 guaranteed European matches per club.”
"We present the preliminary results of the first phase of our dialogue which has been honest, direct and constructive […] We have distilled the consistent feedback into ten principles, which should set the framework for a future European club competition”, states Bernd Reichart. pic.twitter.com/MuNFMsE11v
— A22 Sports (@A22Sports) February 9, 2023
European Super League to be based on sporting performance
In an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt, Reichart said clubs would play at least 14 games a season. He added the breakaway league would be an open tournament. Teams can qualify via their domestic competitions, as they currently do for the UEFA contests.
In October, Reichart suggested the European Super League could be ready to launch in the 2024/25 season.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus are the only founding members left on the project after the other nine founders pulled out following furious backlash from fans, players, pundits, and media in April 2021.
These were Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid.
The 10 principles of the ESL
A22 outlined the following 10 principles that were concluded from the discussions:
- Broad-Based and Meritocratic Competitions
- Domestic Tournaments: the Foundation of Football
- Improve Competitiveness with Stable and Sustainable Resources
- Player Health Must Be at the Centre of the Game
- Club Run Competitions with Transparent, Well Enforced Financial Sustainability Rules
- The World’s Best Football Competition
- Improved Fan Experience
- Develop and Finance Women’s Football
- Significant Increase in Solidarity
- Respect For European Union Law and Values
The Spanish league (LaLiga) has responded to A22’s latest statement by telling fans via ESPN: “Don’t let them fool you. They’ve been telling tales for many years, this is just the latest attempt by big clubs to hijack European football.”
Below you can see a full statement of A22’s 10 principles for the European Super League.
#EuropeanClubFootball is at a tipping point. Huge imbalances have emerged across the continent and clubs with glorious European traditions are no longer able to compete. Clubs have accumulated billions of losses, many of them caused by uncontrolled spending. (1/29)
— A22 Sports (@A22Sports) February 9, 2023
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