February 9 – Spanish giants FC Barcelona have withdrawn from the proposed breakaway European Super League, leaving Real Madrid as the last club still backing the competition and the organising entity A22 friendless and exposed.
In a statement, the Catalans said: “FC Barcelona hereby announces that today it has formally notified the European Super League Company and the clubs involved of its withdrawal from the European Super League project.”
In 2021, Barcelona and rivals Real Madrid were among the biggest proponents of the Super League. They were among 12 clubs who signed up, including Premier League sides Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, but within 48 hours of the announcement to launch the new competition that would reshape the continental club game, the idea collapsed.
Nine clubs backed out in the face of a general backlash that included criticism from numerous stakeholders in the game, and particularly angry fan club bases. Juventus confirmed their exit in 2024.
Politicians also waded in and denounced the breakaway idea as an attack on the European sports model with its principles of competitive balance, fair play and relegation at its core. The breakaway Super League proposed a closed model without relegation to effectively replace Uefa’s Champions League.
Faced with the growing influence of Europe’s top clubs, grouped in the European Football Clubs (EFE) body, previously the European Club Association (ECA), UEFA reformatted the Champions League to introduce a Swiss model reshaping the group stages. Barcelona and the other Super League clubs were expelled from ECA, but have since been readmitted.
FC Barcelona’s formal exit from the Super League had been expected for months.
Real Madrid, however, are seeking damages from UEFA. In 2023, the European Court of Justice ruled that UEFA and FIFA acted against EU competition law to block the Super League and a year later, Madrid’s commercial court said the European and world governing bodies were practising anti-competitive behaviour and abusing their dominant position.
UEFA has since changed its rules around new competitions.
In December 2024, A22, the company behind the Super League, launched a proposal for the Unify League, a men’s competition built around four tiers with 32 teams in the top two and 16 in each of the lower two. A22 asked UEFA in November to pre-authorise the competition.
ENDS
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