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
By Kunle Solaja.
Egyptian publication Ahram has reported an astronomical increase in prize money in all tiers of Egyptian domestic competitions.
This decision by the Egyptian Football Association to unveil what it described as the biggest prize-money package in its history for the 2025/26 season has once again thrown the spotlight on the modest financial rewards in Nigerian domestic football competitions.
Under the new structure announced by the Egyptian federation, winners of the Egypt Cup will receive EGP 2 million (approximately $37,000), while runners-up will earn about $19,000. The champions of the Egyptian Premier League are also expected to pocket EGP 5 million, estimated at about $94,000.
The package extends beyond the elite division. Clubs promoted from Egypt’s Second Division (A) will each earn roughly $19,000, while those advancing from Second Division (B) will receive close to $9,500 each.
Women’s football and youth competitions were equally accommodated. Winners of the Women’s Football League will receive about $9,500, while the Women’s Egypt Cup champions and runners-up will earn nearly $7,500 and $3,700 respectively. Youth championships across several age categories also have dedicated prize allocations running into millions of Egyptian pounds.
The Egyptian initiative is being viewed in many football circles as a deliberate attempt to improve club stability, encourage grassroots development and make domestic competitions more competitive.
For Nigerian football stakeholders, the development offers another example of how stronger financial incentives can stimulate growth in local competitions.
In Nigeria, complaints over poor prize money have persisted for years, especially in the domestic league, women’s football and youth competitions. Several clubs continue to struggle financially, while players and officials often lament inadequate rewards despite demanding schedules and rising operational costs.
Observers argue that meaningful prize money can motivate clubs to invest more seriously in infrastructure, player welfare, youth development and women’s football.
The Egyptian model also demonstrates that football development is not restricted to top-flight competitions alone. By extending financial rewards to lower divisions and youth categories, the federation appears to be creating a broader economic support system for its football ecosystem.
Many Nigerian football followers believe the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigeria Premier Football League and corporate partners can draw valuable lessons from Egypt’s approach.
With Nigerian clubs facing increasing financial pressure and continental competitiveness declining in recent years, analysts insist that enhanced prize money could become one of the incentives needed to revive domestic football and restore greater excitement around.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria is set to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking the third time the country will stage the continent’s top football gathering.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, approved Nigeria’s proposal to host the event.
The approval followed a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
Sports Villages Square affirms that Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Congress at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980 and again in February 2009, when the late CAF President Issa Hayatou secured another four-year term in office.
In addition to this year’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, Nigeria also secured the hosting rights of the CAF Awards ceremony. The annual awards gala, which celebrates Africa’s top football performers, has been staged in Morocco over the past three years.
Nigeria had earlier hosted the CAF Awards when telecom firm, Globacom, was the headline sponsor. This year’s event will be the seventh to be held in Nigeria after those of 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally attracts key football stakeholders from across the continent, including presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and senior football administrators.
The CAF Awards ceremony is regarded as one of African football’s flagship events, honouring outstanding players, coaches, clubs and officials in a glamorous setting that showcases the continent’s football excellence.
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FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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