February 13 – Speaking at UEFA’s Congress in Brussels yesterday, European commissioner Glenn Micallef said the EC will renew its co-operation agreement with UEFA which he said is a “relationship (that) is stronger than ever.”
Micallef is European commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport, and has been an outspoken political advocate for game and in particular the European sports model, and its principals of competitive balance and solidarity in the face of the threat of the European Super League breakaway.
“The only constant in life is change. The fact that we are doing great does not mean we are not improving,” said Micallef, who has inserted the EC into football’s narrative with a series of strong messages regarding the cultural importance of football across the European region.
The European Super League may now have gone away but Micallef isn’t going away as he sees more threats on the horizon to European football’s balance and ecosystem.
“Football is family, being together, it is joy, emotion, passion, frustration. It is entertainment and it is lucrative. There is nothing wrong with this… Investment into clubs and leadership is welcomed, but it has to respect our values,” said Micallef.
“Football belongs to communities, domestic leagues are at our core… big clubs and grassroots clubs are two side of the same coin, nations big and small are two sides of the same pitch. Solidarity between them is essential,” he continued.
“European competitions can’t be bought. The recent agreement (Real Madrid stepping away and ending the Super League breakaway proposal) is an important step… The risks we are facing are greater than ever. National football ecosystems are under pressure. Competitions and matches in unregulated regions are taking money out of the systems. We must discuss these issues.”
Micallef promotes the principals of solidarity, sustainability and competitive balance as the first line of protection in the face of threats to the game.
“We must never put commercial before fun, experience and development of the game. Our football family may disagree, but football must come first.”
Football’s international governing bodies pride themselves on being apolitical. It is a pride that in current times looks increasingly misplaced as the boundaries between the game and politics are being pushed. Micallef is clear in his view of the role of law makers.
“Football does not exist in a vacuum. Football is a public good and must be governed by those governing in the public interest. When fans are price out, football loses part of its soul,” said Micallef. It was a simple delivered with the FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who has walked the world governing body into the political maelstrom of the White House, sitting just 10m from the podium.
Micallef has no issue with football’s commercial proposition, and is keen to support. He cited the example of supporting “stronger enforcement against piracy can protect revenue. Our estimate is that €1 billion is lost to piracy (annually). This is money stolen from football.”
“We must stand together and protect football,” he concluded.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1770987552labto1770987552ofdlr1770987552owedi1770987552sni@n1770987552osloh1770987552cin.l1770987552uap1770987552
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