Fan power remains European Super League's biggest obstacle

LONDON : The wave of fans' resistance was so ferocious the last time the European Super League reared its head that the six English Premier League clubs involved quickly jumped ship, effectively stopping the project in its tracks.

So although Thursday's European Court of Justice ruling against European soccer governing body UEFA was celebrated by those still seeking to make the plan a reality, namely Barcelona and Real Madrid, fan power could once again be their biggest hurdle.

When the European Super League was launched like a bolt out of the blue in April 2021, 12 clubs initially signed up with three more expected to form a "founding 15" for whom relegation would be impossible. Five more clubs would have had the chance to join annually based on domestic performances.

It went against the ethos of meritocracy that remains the bedrock belief of the vast majority of soccer fans and whose anger, particularly in England where the 92-club pyramid system is cherished, quickly manifested itself in protests.

Stung by the outrage, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur beat hasty retreats and within 48 hours of its launch, the ESL project lay in tatters.

Even after the threat diminished, anger boiled over when United's game against Liverpool in May was abandoned after a stadium and pitch invasion in protest at United owner Joel Glazer and his role in the club's ESL flirtation.

The push back proved so strong that a Fan-Led Review was commissioned within days and last month the recommendations of that, including for an independent regulator, formed part of the Football Governance Bill that will become law next year.

Under the regulator, all English clubs will be forced to have a license which