The first season of the European Super League is planned to feature sixty-four clubs across Europe. In this format, teams are organized into three levels named Star, Gold and Blue. The top two groups, Star and Gold, will host Europe’s elite clubs, with sixteen teams in each tier. The remaining thirty-two teams will compete in the Blue league. There is a built-in system for movement between the divisions where weaker teams in the Star and Gold groups can drop to the lower tier, while stronger teams may rise, ensuring competitive balance over time.
Midweek fixtures will be the norm, with a structure that includes fourteen group-stage matches followed by a playoff phase. The competition schedule envisions the first official draw taking place during the 2025/26 season, signaling the start of a new era in European football governance and club competition planning.
On 21 December, a ruling from the European Court found that FIFA and UEFA acted unlawfully when they attempted to ban the Super League. The court concluded that the governing bodies had abused their dominant position by applying competition rules that conflicted with accepted freedom to operate in the market and to provide services across borders. The decision underscored the legal tensions surrounding supranational sports projects and the possibility of competition reform through judicial means.
Flagship clubs announced the plan for the Super League on the night of April 19, 2021. English teams including Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham, together with Spanish clubs Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, were among the first to publish revolutions in schedule and competition format. However, within a matter of days a broad wave of withdrawals followed, with many clubs indicating they would not participate in the venture. The cascade of exits also touched Italian teams such as Inter, Milan and Juventus, muting the perception of uniform support for the project and prompting reconsiderations from several leagues and federations involved in European football governance.
Earlier statements from the Super League General Management signaled an intent that many observers framed as a transformative moment for the sport. Those remarks suggested a belief that the proposal could redefine financial structures, broadcasting models, and the overall relationship between top-tier clubs and broader European football ecosystems. Critics and supporters alike examined the likely implications for competitive integrity, fan engagement, and national leagues that have long relied on traditional formats. The discourse continued as stakeholders weighed potential benefits against perceived risks, including legal challenges, financial exposure, and the practical realities of coordinating across multiple countries and regulatory regimes. The conversation persisted as part of a broader debate about how best to balance elite competition with sustainable development across the sport.