The press service of the A22 company, a participant in the Super League project, clarified the question about whether Russian clubs may take part in the tournament and stated that the criteria for participation will ultimately be determined by the clubs themselves. This point was communicated by A22 through its official channel, underscoring a shift toward club-led definitions of eligibility rather than a fixed external rule set.
According to A22, the participating clubs have the autonomy to decide what benchmarks will define their involvement in the competition. In practical terms, this means each club can articulate its own standards and thresholds for entry, performance, financial commitments, and governance that must be satisfied in order to join or continue in the league. Such an approach emphasizes the agency of clubs in setting the criteria that matter most to their strategy and sustainability within the new framework.
Meanwhile, a significant legal development emerged when the European Court ruled that the decision by FIFA and UEFA to ban the Super League was illegal, accusing the two governing bodies of abusing a dominant market position by enforcing rules that were inconsistent with established competition and freedom to provide services principles. The court’s stance reframed the dispute as a clash over antitrust norms and the right of clubs, leagues, and organizers to pursue alternative competition formats under competitive conditions.
Historically, the announcement of the Super League involved a group of prominent clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Spanish clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid. In the days that followed, several clubs from various nations withdrew from the project, signaling a rapid retreat and a reassessment of how such a league could be structured and sustained under the pressures of fan expectations, sporting integrity, and regulatory constraints. The result was a complex, evolving conversation about what a reorganized European competition might look like and which participants would ultimately align with its vision.
There are stories of individual European football stars who were once linked to the Super League but faced rejection or reconsideration, highlighting how personal and professional reputations intersect with broader organizational decisions in the sport. The broader takeaway remains that large-scale changes in football governance involve a web of legal considerations, club strategies, and market dynamics, making the future of European competition a subject of ongoing debate and careful analysis by fans, investors, leagues, and regulators alike.