Prem clubs will still face European Super League ban as UK Government hit back
For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter
For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter
We have more newsletters
Premier League clubs will be banned from joining the European Super League (ESL) by the UK Government.
A landmark case at the European Court of Justice on Tuesday ruled that football’s governing bodies “unlawfully” blocked the forming of a breakaway league in 2021. UEFA and FIFA had used their dominant position to forbid all 12 European clubs from competing in the ESL by threatening sanctions.
A22, a company formed to assist in the ESL’s creation, celebrated the ruling by claiming “football is free”, despite a new competition still requiring approval. And a bill will now be put in place by the UK government to prevent any English clubs from joining breakaway leagues in the future.
READ MORE: European Super League vs UEFA verdict confirmed as 64-club competition proposed
READ MORE: European Super League matches will be 'free to all' and fans won't need TV subscriptions
The Telegraph reported on Tuesday morning that the new Football Governance Bill will be implemented. “There’s no chance of Premier League teams joining unless they want to be thrown out of English football,” a Whitehall insider is claimed to have said.
“We are collectively committed to the Premier League and recognise our responsibility to support it. We will not engage in the creation of new competition formats outside of the Premier League’s rules.”
Do you agree with the UK government's ban? Let us know in the comments section.
And a statement from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has since confirmed the measure, which will have huge implications on the future of both English and European football.
A DCMS spokesperson said: “We note the decision by the European Court of Justice’s judgement with regard to the European Super League. The attempt to create a breakaway competition was a defining moment in English football and was universally condemned by fans, clubs and the Government.
“We took decisive action at the time by triggering the fan-led review of football governance, which called for the creation of a new independent regulator for English football. We will shortly be bringing forward legislation that makes this a reality, and will stop clubs from joining any similar breakaway competitions in the future.”
The attempted breakaway in 2021 triggered the Government commissioning the Fan Led Review of Football, which recommended the creation of an independent regulator. The Government accepted the review’s recommendation and legislation to begin the process of creating an independent regulator.
- Premier League
- Arsenal FC
- Manchester United FC
- Manchester City FC
- Chelsea FC
- Tottenham Hotspur FC
- Liverpool FC
- Conservative Party
Source: Read Full Article