12 European Top Soccer Clubs Announce “Breakaway” Super League

By Staff, Agencies

A dozen of Europe’s top association football clubs announced the formation of the European Super League on Monday, angering the English Premier League and Union of European Football Associations [UEFA].

The new league said the clubs sought a “new midweek competition” while continuing to “compete in their respective national leagues.”

So far, six English teams – Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool – have joined three Spanish teams - Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid – and three Italian teams – Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan.

Three more spots are to be announced, with five more available to prospective teams through a qualifying system every year. New teams will receive 3.5 billion euros [$4.2 billion] for infrastructure investment and “to offset the impact of the COVID pandemic.”

“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening,” UEFA said in a statement.

Teams joining the league will be barred from playing in other games “at domestic, European or world level,” UEFA threatened, meaning many of the world’s top players would be disqualified from playing in the World Cup.

“FIFA can only express its disapproval to a ‘closed European breakaway league’ outside of the international football structures,” FIFA said.