The move by 12 European football clubs to launch European Super League, is getting wide criticism and call for boycott by football bodies citing exclusivity.
FIFA, the global governing body for football, denounced the formation of the Super League, saying it goes against FIFA’s core principles of solidarity, inclusivity, integrity and equitable financial redistribution.
The new league will rock the foundations of football competitions, including preeminent leagues in England, Spain and Italy and extending all the way up to the World Cup.
In a joint announcement Sunday, six English clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, alongside three teams from Italy: AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus and three from Spain: Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid laid out plans to form a breakaway competition.
Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have resigned from the European Club Association (ECA) and Ed Woodward has stepped down from his role with UEFA after plans for a European Super League were announced.
The group also plans to add three clubs before the Super League’s inaugural season.
Players to get banned from national teams
“FIFA can only express its disapproval to a ‘closed European breakaway league’ outside of the international football structures and not respecting the aforementioned principles,” FIFA said in a statement.
“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever”, reads the Joint statement from European groups.
Football Clubs from France and Germany have backed out from the Super League, according to the claims made by UEFA.
“We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced”.
FIFA and the six Confederations have announced that clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.
The league is “intended to commence as soon as is practicable,” according to the announcement posted on the 12 clubs’ websites.
