Statement s
This ruling does not signify an endorsement or validation of the so-called ‘super league’; it rather underscores a pre-existing shortfall within UEFA’s pre-authorisation framework, a technical aspect that has already been acknowledged and addressed in June 2022. UEFA is confident in the robustness of its new rules, and specifically that they comply with all relevant European laws and regulations.
European Club Association (ECA), representing nearly 500 professional football clubs across Europe, takes note of the judgment issued by the European Court of Justice today.
To be absolutely clear, the judgment in no way whatsoever supports or endorses any form of Super League project.
Since the legal case was brought two years ago, major progressive governance reforms have already been put in place across the ecosystem of football in Europe and worldwide, including new UEFA rules for competition pre-authorisation; and in particular, reforms under ECA’s Memorandum of Understanding and Joint Venture with UEFA, and FIFA (signed in September and March this year). Through ECA, clubs today are already at the heart of decision-making in relation to the competitions they participate in.
Der EuGH hat in der Pressemitteilung auch klargestellt, dass die Entscheidung des EuGH nicht bedeutet, dass ein Wettbewerb wie die Super League notwendigerweise zugelassen werden müsste. Die Rechtmäßigkeit der Super League ist eine separate Frage.
LALIGA stresses that the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) does not sanction the European Super League and that in 2022 UEFA already included a modification to its regulations for the authorisation of new competitions, which is adapted to what the CJEU is now ruling.
Although the promoters of the Super League claim that this judgment is in their favour, the reality is that the CJEU has been clear in stating that "it does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved. The Court, having been asked generally about the FIFA and UEFA rules, does not rule on that specific project in its judgment.”
LALIGA, the only league involved in the proceedings, welcomes this statement, which is in line with the formal position expressed by an unprecedented 23 EU and EEA national governments, who joined the football and sporting community at large in defending the football pyramid against secessionist models such as the so-called European Super League.
The essence of this ruling also aligns with the conclusions of the Advocate General of the CJEU from December 2022, who stated that „although the European Super League Company has the freedom to create its own independent football competition outside the ecosystem of UEFA or FIFA, it cannot, in addition to creating that competition, continue to participate in football competitions organised by FIFA and UEFA without the prior authorisation of those federations.“
“The ruling confirms what we have always said: anyone can organise competitions outside the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, this cannot be prohibited, and no one has questioned this. The judicial question is the condition for these competitions to be under the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem, i.e. that there must be transparent, clear and objective rules for the approval of new competitions. In 2022, UEFA already established a procedure to authorise new competitions that can be used by the European Super League or any other competition," said Javier Tebas, President of LALIGA.
Regardless of this ruling, the entire football ecosystem, including players, coaches, leagues, federations, or clubs, have already spoken out loud and clear to say they do not desire a model that perpetuates the participation of a privileged few, restricting the pinnacle of European football to an elite rather than an open sport for all.
https://fcbayern.com/de/news/2023/12/jan-christian-dreesen-zum-urteil-des-europaeischen-gerichtshofs
Jan-Christian Dreesen zum Urteil des Europäischen Gerichtshofs
Nach dem heutigen Urteil des Europäisches Gerichtshofs (EuGH) zum Thema Super League äußert sich Jan-Christian Dreesen, Vorstandsvorsitzender des FC Bayern und Vice-Chairman der European Club Association (ECA), wie folgt:
„Wir haben das Urteil des Europäischen Gerichtshofs zur Kenntnis genommen. Dies ändert aber nichts an der Haltung des FC Bayern und an der Haltung der ECA, dass ein solcher Wettbewerb einen Angriff auf die Bedeutung der nationalen Ligen sowie die Statik des europäischen Fußballs darstellen würde. Die Bundesliga bildet das Fundament des FC Bayern, so wie alle nationalen Ligen das Fundament der europäischen Fußballklubs darstellen. Deshalb ist es unsere Pflicht und unsere tiefe Überzeugung, sie zu stärken, und nicht zu schwächen. Ebenso stehen wir zu den europäischen Club-Wettbewerben unter dem Dach der UEFA. Daher noch einmal ganz klar: Die Tür für die Super League beim FC Bayern bleibt zu.“
