A congressional review of the Sports Act is underway and will be analyzed for potential passage by the Commission this Tuesday before it proceeds to a final vote in both the Lower House and the Senate. The text, obtained by EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA from the Prensa Ibérica group, preserves the original language of the controversial articles that sparked opposition from nearly all First and Second division clubs, with the notable exceptions of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Athletic Club.
The version presented in Congress reflects the statement released after contributions from parliamentary groups. It is not yet final and may be amended on Tuesday when the Culture and Sports Commission meets to issue an opinion. After approval by the House, the bill would move to the Senate, where further changes could occur. The report signals that groups, especially the PP and PSOE, are reluctant to concede to LaLiga’s demands in the face of changes that have stood since 1990.
Clubs have threatened to halt competition if the current article remains intact. The report accessed by this newspaper underscores their discontent. An extraordinary LaLiga meeting is scheduled for Thursday, when clubs could decide to trigger a lockout, a move the RFEF has said will be deemed illegal.
Three articles are at the center of contention. LaLiga expressed its opposition weeks ago and managed to secure some concessions. PP and PSOE accepted changes that alter the wording, yet those changes were later withdrawn, with LaLiga attributing pressure from Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez as a factor in smoothing the path toward a future Super League launch.
Articles
One article, Article 45, states: “The granting of licenses cannot be conditioned on participation in other competitions or sports activities in any way” to shield national leagues from challenges like the Super League, a stance that LaLiga opposes.
Government sources note that the European Court of Justice is expected to decide in the coming months whether UEFA and FIFA hold a monopolistic position. This would influence whether the Super League complies with European law. In light of this, the proposed Sports Law, which may be approved before the Advocate General’s December 15 deadline, should not conflict with a possible ruling favorable to the Super League.
Article 46 removes the requirement that any changes proposed by the relevant Spanish federation affecting official professional competitions need a prior positive report from the Professional League, shifting power away from the RFEF and challenging its business model.
The third request, regarding joint marketing of common commercial assets such as TV rights, was not included in the report prepared by the newspaper. Currently, the joint sale of audiovisual rights is governed by Royal Decree Act 2015, a lower-order rule than a law and therefore more susceptible to future change.
The amendment, initially agreed upon by the withdrawn PP and PSOE, adds two points to Articles 52 and 89 that were not part of the text reviewed by the Commission on Tuesday. LaLiga estimates that this policy shift could jeopardize the 38-club deal with CVC signed last December, a 2,000 million euro investment, given the ensuing legal uncertainty.
All of these competing demands prompted unprecedented mobilization from club presidents and executives who sought to challenge the current articles of the bill. They mounted advertising campaigns across media and raised banners like “A Sports for All Act” at many televised fixtures this weekend, signaling the high tension surrounding the legislation.