More than two years after a European Super League (ESL) proposal rocked the foundations of the soccer world, the ESL has found its way back to the forefront of the sport following a landmark ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ).
On Thursday, Europe's top court ruled that FIFA, the sport's international governing body, and UEFA, the continent's governing soccer body, acted contrary to EU competition law by blocking plans for a breakaway ESL.
That news was celebrated by Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid, which has been leading the fight to get the new competition off the ground. "Today a Europe of freedoms has triumphed, and also football and its fans have triumphed," said club president Florentino Pérez. "We are facing a great opportunity to improve European club football." The court's decision has resurrected the proposal many thought was long dead and buried — much to the dismay of fans who mightily protested against the league in 2021.
Read on for a primer on this controversial topic. The ESL is a proposed seasonal soccer competition for club teams in Europe.