MADRID (BN24)— Real Madrid and the promoters of the Super League are demanding more than $4 billion in damages from UEFA, accusing European football’s governing body of unlawfully obstructing the breakaway competition, according to a source who spoke to AFP on Thursday, October 30.
The claim follows a Spanish court ruling on Wednesday, which dismissed UEFA’s appeal and sided with the Super League backers, thereby opening the door for the clubs and organizers to pursue substantial financial compensation.
The Super League, launched in April 2021 by 12 of Europe’s leading clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United, collapsed within days amid widespread fan protests, particularly in England, and threats of sanctions from UEFA and FIFA. The league was intended to offer a closed competition for elite clubs, bypassing the traditional qualification processes of domestic leagues. Its abrupt failure became one of the most controversial episodes in modern European football.
Legal battles over the league’s creation continued for years. In December 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that UEFA and FIFA’s attempts to block the Super League were in violation of European competition law. The ECJ found that the two governing bodies had abused their dominant positions in European football by preventing free competition, creating barriers for new initiatives, and interfering with club autonomy. Following the ECJ’s ruling, a Spanish judge confirmed that UEFA and FIFA had engaged in anti-competitive conduct, reinforcing the Super League organizers’ right to seek damages.
The Madrid court also rejected separate appeals from La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation, removing further obstacles for financial claims. A22 Sports Management, the company promoting the Super League, criticized UEFA for refusing to engage in meaningful reform despite “months of discussions,” stating that the company had “no other choice” but to seek compensation for damages incurred.
“After years of legal proceedings, UEFA can no longer ignore binding court decisions,” said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart. “By abusing their monopoly and preventing new initiatives, they have caused substantial damage to numerous clubs, players, and other stakeholders across Europe.”
UEFA, however, maintained that its regulatory framework remains valid and that the ruling does not legitimize the abandoned Super League project. In a statement to AFP, the organization said, “This ruling does not validate the abandoned Super League project announced in 2021, nor does it undermine UEFA’s current authorisation rules, adopted in 2022 and updated in 2024, which remain fully in force. These rules ensure that any cross-border competitions are assessed on objective, transparent, non-discriminatory, and proportionate criteria.”
Despite UEFA’s stance, Real Madrid hailed the court’s ruling as a significant legal victory, highlighting that it confirmed the governing body had “seriously infringed the European Union’s free competition rules” by abusing its authority. The Spanish giants emphasized that they will continue pursuing financial redress while advocating for reforms aimed at the long-term health of European football.
“The club will continue to work for the good of global football and fans, while claiming substantial damages from UEFA,” Real Madrid said in an official statement.
Legal experts suggest that this case could have broad implications for European football, potentially opening the door for other clubs and organizations to challenge governing bodies’ control over competitions. The decision may also influence future reforms in UEFA’s tournament authorizations, cross-border league approvals, and the broader governance of European football, with millions of euros at stake.
