How the European Super League would be structured and its impact Manchester United and Man City

Just hours after the European Court of Justice ruled that UEFA and FIFA had acted unlawfully in punishing those who tried to form a competition in April 2021, plans for a new European Super League have been revealed.

The court's decision, which cannot be appealed, stated that these governing bodies could not block the creation of new competitions or monopolise commercial rights. In 2021, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Internazionale, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona all secretly signed up to the ESL.

However, within 48 hours, all but three clubs had backed out due to strong opposition from fans, leagues, governing bodies and politicians. Only Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona remained committed to the idea and made a legal challenge, creating a new company, A22, to push forward a new competition structure.

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Earlier this year, Juventus decided to withdraw from the proceedings, leaving just the two major Spanish clubs. The ECJ verdict has been seen as a victory for these two clubs and A22, who quickly announced their plans for a new competition. The proposed new European Super League format would include 64 clubs across three divisions.

The new football leagues, Star, Gold and Blue, will have different numbers of clubs. The Star and Gold Leagues would each have 16 clubs, while the Blue League would have 32. It is proposed for all clubs to play in groups of eight, both home and away, guaranteeing at least 14 matches per year.

At the end of the season, a knockout stage with eight clubs would be