Plans for a European Super League bringing together elite soccer clubs such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona won a surprise boost at the European Union’s top court after judges ruled the sport’s main governing bodies violated antitrust law by thwarting the project.
UEFA and FIFA are “abusing a dominant position” by applying arbitrary rules on approval, control and sanctions, the EU’s Court of Justice said in a binding ruling on Thursday. The victory follows a judgment at the beginning of the year from a Spanish tribunal that warned them not to interfere in preparations for a breakaway.
Despite the rulings, it’s unlikely that any new league will materialize in the short term, with clubs across Europe including Manchester United and Bayern Munich swiftly releasing statements that they had no intention of breaking away from UEFA, the organizer of the Champions League and other tournaments.