3 days ago
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FOUR divisions for a new 96-club European Super League would be inspired by the EU flag — Star, Gold, Blue and Union.
Promoter A22 Sports yesterday unveiled its format for a “Unify League” and said it had written to Fifa and Uefa to ask for official endorsement.
Footie fans slammed a plot to revive the hated European Super League, above protesters outside Stamford Bridge in 2021Getty
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The firm’s previous plan for a closed 20-team league folded in April 2021 amid a fan backlash — as reported by The Sun.
But A22 bosses believe Uefa must endorse its proposal following a December 2023 European Court of Justice ruling that previous tactics used to block a Super League were contrary to EU law.
An A22 spokesperson confirmed last night: “The names of the leagues are named after the EU Flag/Flag of the Council of Europe.
“The Unify proposal is aligned with the principles of the European Union and compliant with its laws.
“It is open to all clubs from across the 55 countries.”
Teams would earn a place on merit and not be guaranteed entry.
Games would be streamed free on a direct-to-fan Unify platform, with viewers likely to pay a subscription to go ad-free.
But one fan blasted: “They’ve used an EU ruling as the justification, and now the flag seems to have inspired the leagues. It stinks.”
A senior Uefa figure called the plan “bulls***t” and “a Christmas pantomime”.
Tim Payton, from the Arsenal Supporters Trust, added: “We utterly condemn these proposals and are against any breakaway or super leagues.”
He urged the football regulator currently being set up by the UK government to block the proposal.
Top Unify League division Star would involve 16 clubs in two pools of eight.
Second league Gold would be the same.
The remaining 64 teams would be in Blue and Union divisions.
Each of those would be split into four pools of eight.
A women’s competition would run alongside.
Madrid-based A22 is backed by Real Madrid, its chief Florentino Perez, and Barcelona.
A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said the Unify League aimed to address challenges such as increased TV subscription costs, an overloaded calendar, insufficient investment in women’s football, and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of current competitions.
We utterly condemn these proposals and are against any breakaway or super leagues
Tim Payton, from the Arsenal Supporters TrustHe cited the ECJ 2023 ruling that states “any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established”.
Mr Reichart said A22 had consulted with clubs, leagues and other groups.
But Arsenal fan Mr Payton said: “I don’t believe they’ve had any meaningful discussions with supporter groups.
“We have pushed Arsenal in our meetings with them since the Super League — and they always tell us they are committed to the existing structures and competitive balance.
“We would urge the club to condemn and ignore moves like this.
“It is a breakaway and being proposed by people outside the FA, Premier League and Uefa structure.
BOWING TO FAT CATS
By Will Barker, Sun newsman and Villa fan
JUST when you thought the greedy clubs had learnt their lesson from the last Super League chaos, here comes another crazy idea.
And this time, the EU has laid out the red carpet for fat cat clubs to sponge even more money off fans.
My team, Villa, have been battling since the very start of the Champions League to hear the famous anthem played at Villa Park.
Previous memories of 1982 when we won the European Cup are all faded now.
But now we have been able to experience first hand what a great competition it is rather than jealously watch our Premier League rivals from afar.
Incredibly, Villa have had a great run in the tournament so far — even beating giants Bayern Munich, which led to some of the wildest celebrations in the Midlands I’ve seen for years.
Football is about the fans.
It isn’t about the rich owners and it certainly isn’t about the politicians in Brussels, who need to get their hands off our great game.
“They are badging it up as being a bit more competitive but it’s still a breakaway and propagated by Real Madrid and Barcelona.”
Manchester United fan and football writer Andy Mitten added: “I don’t think this is a goer and it seems to be being pushed by Real Madrid.
“I am not in favour.”
Getty
GettySpurs fan Doug Sanders wrote online: “Just no!
“It is clear that player injuries are increasing due to the fixture lists, leaving hardly any free time during the year.
“This is solely about making money for A22.
“I suppose this would be televised on another obscure channel that fans would need a separate contract for.”
One supporter said: “Perez doesn’t take no for an answer, does he?”
Another added: “No one wants this.
“Stop this nonsense now.”
No one wants this. Stop this nonsense now
One supporterAnd a third wrote: “Massive waste of everyone’s time.
“As useless as the new World Club Cup.
“Stop trying to please faceless clubs.
“Fans want competitive local football.”
The new format could involve up to ten Premier League teams compared to four in this year’s Champions League, two in the Europa League and one in the Conference League.
The Premier League would have three teams in Star, two in Gold and up to five further teams across the remaining divisions.
The first Super League plan guaranteed entry to 12 rebel clubs including the Prem’s Big Six — Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Man Utd.
All positions in the Unify League would be earned by domestic performances in the previous season.
A22 envisages 14 league phase games being played between September and April.
The top four in each group would then reach a two-legged quarter- final, with the winners progressing to a “final four” week of one-off matches to decide the competition.
It means footballers, already complaining of burnout, would face playing even more games.
No formal start date has been set but it is understood A22 hopes to launch in September 2026.
The prize fund is yet to be confirmed but A22 promises £330million in “solidarity” payments to smaller clubs and countries.
The total pot is expected to exceed the current fund of £2billion for the Champions League, and £700million for the Europa and Conference Leagues combined.
Measures to block clubs from joining any breakaway competition are included in the Government’s Independent Football Regulator, currently going through Parliament and backed by all major parties.
But the new competition seeks to supplant Uefa and be club-run — as happened when the Premier League was set up more than 30 years ago.
The Premier League, Uefa and UK teams have not commented.
But clubs are likely to be mindful of angry fan reaction.
In 2021 thousands flocked to demonstrations at Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd.
They let off smoke bombs, called for club owners who had backed plans to go and branded the proposed format the “Super Greed”.
Plenty to like... but will fans back it?
By Martin Lipton, Chief Sports Reporter
THE biggest issue with the first version of Super League was that it was utterly unfair.
Football has always been about what you earn on the field — and offering the Prem’s Big Six a place in a breakaway elite for life would have destroyed the fabric of the game.
So while many fans reacted in anger at the latest proposals unveiled by Madrid-based A22, its new plans do tick more boxes.
Qualification by merit, rather than on the basis of what a club did ten, 15 or 20 years ago is a step in the right direction.
As are extra “big” games, playing all teams in a mini-league, home and away — it’s hard to keep tabs on a Champions League table of 36 clubs.
Then an end-of-season knock-out with real tension, especially with a final four-style week of one-off semis and the final.
But it seems unlikely that a new streaming platform, offering both ad-supported “free” games and a bells-and-whistles subscription service, can really earn the billions required to run four competitions every season.
The potential autumn 2026 launch means huge obstacles will have to be cleared quickly — and that includes winning over the fans whose determination torpedoed Super League version one in 48 hours in 2021.
In the end, it will come down to the clubs.
If they feel their bread is being buttered the way they like it, then it could be on — and if that means jettisoning the Carabao Cup, so be it.
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