European Super League verdict LIVE: Court rules Fifa and Uefa acted illegally in blocking breakaway

Although the headlines of today’s court ruling seem to be, on the surface at least, a slap on the wrists for the two governing bodies Uefa and Fifa looking into the detail of the case some things have already changed.

The court has only decided its verdict based on facts as at the time of the European Super League’s announcement and new rules are now already in place.

Uefa can still organise its own competitions and there is no requirement to break up.

The Super League will still be subject to authorisation rules and procedures.

In light of the ruling, LaLiga put out a statement condemning the European Super League as a “selfish and elitist model”.

They wrote: “Today, more than ever, we reiterate that the “Super League” is a selfish and elitist model. Anything that is not fully open, with direct access only through the domestic leagues, season by season, is a closed format. European football has spoken. Listen. #EarnItOnThePitch”

The Grand Chamber of the ECJ had been debating whether Uefa and Fifa acted against competition law by blocking the European Super League in 2021 and sanctioning clubs involved, but has ruled that the regulations at the time concerning the breakaway were inadequate and that the governing bodies acted “illegally” in blocking the rebel tournament.

In its ruling, the ECJ stated: “The Fifa and Uefa rules on prior approval of interclub football competitions, such as the Super League, are contrary to EU law.

“They are contrary to competition law and the freedom to provide services.

Read our full report on the monumental verdict:

As with all court rulings, this is fairly nuanced and doesn’t necessarily mean a European Super League has to be approved, just that Uefa and Fifa forbidding the clubs outright from forming a league was contrary to EU law.

The ECJ ruled that the governing bodies were “abusing their dominant position” but added that “this does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved”.

Here’s the pertinent part of the ruling handed down by the ECJ, determining that Uefa and Fifa are in breach of competition law and the freedom to provide services by requiring prior approval of a European Super League.

“The FIFA and UEFA rules on prior approval of interclub football competitions, such as the Super League, are contrary to EU law. They are contrary to competition law and the freedom to provide services

“The FIFA and UEFA rules making any new interclub football project subject to their prior approval, such as the Super League, and prohibiting clubs and players from playing in those competitions, are unlawful. There is no framework for the FIFA and UEFA rules ensuring that they are transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate.

“Similarly, the rules giving FIFA and UEFA exclusive control over the commercial exploitation of the rights related to those competitions are such as to restrict competition, given their importance for the media, consumers and television viewers in the European Union.”

Here’s some more information on the judgement – essentially the European Super League (under EU law at least) could be back on.

The prospects of a future European Super League have been boosted after judges said Uefa rules blocking the formation of such a competition were contrary to EU law.

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice had been asked to decide whether Uefa and Fifa acted against competition law by blocking the formation of the European Super League in 2021 and then seeking to sanction the clubs involved.

The court has ruled that Uefa and Fifa rules granting prior approval for new competitions are contrary to EU law.

Ok, we now have the verdict in the European Super League vs Uefa case and it’s A WIN for the European Super League.

The ECJ have deemed that Fifa and Uefa rules on prior approval of interclub football competitions are contrary to EU law. That really is one in the eye for football’s governing bodies

We mentioned that the ECJ were also announcing the verdict in a case brought by the International Skating Union (ISU) today and that has just been handed down.

The ISU has lost its bid to overturn an EU antitrust order that it must stop penalising speed skaters for taking part in new money-spinning events, as Europe’s highest court backed earlier orders.

The European Commission in its 2017 ruling said the sport’s governing body had imposed “disproportionately punitive” sanctions on skaters, preventing the emergence of rival events in violation of EU antitrust rules.

The verdict should be delivered shortly by the ECJ. In the meantime, allow Miguel Delaney to explain why it could be a bigger decision than Bosman and change the future of football.