Governing Bodies
What does the European Super League verdict mean for football?
The European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday that European soccer’s governing body UEFA and its global counterpart FIFA breached EU law when they prevented 12 clubs from forming a European Super League (ESL).
WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE?
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus plus nine other European major clubs announced the breakaway ESL — a closed league — in April 2021.
Sports development company A22 assisted with creating the ESL.
But the move collapsed within 48 hours after an outcry from fans, governments and players forced Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid to pull out.
WHAT WAS ESL’S CASE AGAINST UEFA?
A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said the ESL wanted to break what he described was a monopoly of competitions run by UEFA, which has organised European competitions for nearly 70 years and sees the ESL as a significant threat.
When the breakaway clubs were threatened with sanctions, the ESL went to court claiming that UEFA and FIFA held a monopoly position which was in breach of the European Union’s Competition and Free Movement Law.
Despite nine clubs pulling out, the three holdouts — Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus — still hoped to get the ESL up and running. However, Juventus opted to pull out earlier this year when the Italian club’s board changed.
Real and Barca took the case to a Spanish court, which subsequently sought guidance from the Luxembourg-based European Court.
WHAT WAS THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE VERDICT?
The Court said UEFA and FIFA contravened EU law by preventing the formation of a Super League and that they abused their dominant position by forbidding clubs to compete in the ESL.
The court said that both regulating and organising sporting competitions was not an infringement of EU competition law and that sports federations can refuse third parties access to the market, but only if the refusal is justified by genuine objectives.
The court added that at this moment “there is no framework for FIFA and UEFA rules ensuring that they are transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate”.
The court’s ruling said both bodies must “comply with the competition rules and respect the freedoms of movement”, adding that their rules on approval, control and sanctions amounted to unjustified restrictions on the freedom to provide services.
“The Court observes that the organisation of inter-club football competitions and the exploitation of the media rights are, quite evidently, economic activities,” it said.
“They must therefore comply with the competition rules and respect the freedoms of movement.”
However, the court said the judgement did not necessarily mean the ESL project must be approved. That is for the Spanish court to decide.
In this case, the Court of Justice only interpreted European Union law or the validity of a European Union act, it did not decide the dispute itself.
WHAT DOES THE RULING MEAN FOR FOOTBALL?
The verdict means European clubs can join another continental league — without the threat of sanctions — instead of playing in competitions run solely by UEFA.
Soon after the verdict, A22 released another proposal for new competitions with 64 men’s and 32 women’s teams playing midweek matches in a league system across Europe.
Although the initial Super League project was a closed competition, the new one would see clubs participate based on sporting merit with no permanent members. The clubs would also stay in their respective domestic leagues.
However, there is no guarantee the Premier League clubs will sign up for the new competition.
Two months after the six English clubs pulled out of the project in 2021, they said they would pay a combined 22 million pounds ($27.78 million) as “a gesture of goodwill”.
They face a 30-point deduction if they attempt a similar move in future while the Premier League also said they would each be fined 25 million pounds if they attempt another breakaway.
-Reuters
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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