Rebranded Super League submits plans for 96-team competition

PARIS: Super League promoters today revealed they have asked Fifa and Uefa for “official recognition” of their proposed competition, renamed the “Unify League”, leaning on a ruling from Europe’s top court.

A22 Sports Management said it sent the proposal after discussions with various leagues, clubs and other stakeholders, revising its qualification system to base participation on annual domestic performances.

It has submitted plans for competitions featuring 96 teams divided into four leagues, running from September to April, followed by a knockout phase starting with the quarterfinals.

In a statement, A22 argued last year’s European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling meant that “any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established”.

Promoters also said matches would be shown live for free via a streaming platform.

“Our extensive engagement with key stakeholders revealed a number of pressing challenges facing the sport including increasing subscription costs for fans, an overloaded player calendar, insufficient investment in women’s football, and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of the current pan-European competitions,” said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said.

“Our proposal is designed to directly address these challenges.”

Furious backlash

European football was hit with a bombshell in early 2021, when 12 of its biggest clubs announced they had signed up to the planned Super League, triggering a furious backlash from fans and a stark warning from Uefa that clubs and players who took parts would be barred from competitions like the World Cup.