European Club Association is orchestrating a silent football coup

T he Guardian recently published an article by Charlie Marshall, the CEO of the European Club Association (ECA), headlined: “European Club Association is being cast as an evil elite killing football. What nonsense.” While I appreciate the opportunity to engage in a discussion about the future of European football, I must express my strong disagreement with Marshall’s assertions. It is imperative to set the record straight and shed light on the true nature of ECA’s actions and the distortions it has caused within the football landscape.

Marshall accuses me of promoting a false narrative regarding the ECA’s influence on Uefa. However, the truth is that the ECA has been gradually orchestrating a silent coup within the European football governance structure. This slow-moving coup is designed to empower the continent’s largest clubs, enabling them to exert greater control over the sport. Marshall conveniently highlights various clubs in his article, without recognising that they are, in fact, the dominant forces within their respective countries. The financial windfall from European competitions has led to significant distortions within their domestic leagues.

We also should not forget that Marshall was at the ECA in 2019 when it presented an early version of the super league project together with Uefa. Fortunately Uefa realised that it would destroy football after a revolt among clubs and in the media, but Marshall has little credibility when it comes to the future of European football.

Furthermore, it is essential to call out the democratic deficit within the ECA, a crucial point that Marshall conveniently glosses over. Of the 330 clubs holding a right to vote, only 140 possess full voting rights, while the remaining 190