Real Madrid and Super League Promoters Seek Over $4 Billion in Compensation from UEFA
Real Madrid and the promoters of the European Super League are seeking more than $4 billion in damages from UEFA, claiming the governing body unfairly blocked the breakaway competition, a source told AFP on Thursday.
A Spanish court on Wednesday rejected an appeal from UEFA related to the Super League.
The Super League, proposed in 2021 by 12 top European clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona, collapsed shortly after its announcement amid strong opposition from English fans and threats from UEFA and FIFA.
In December 2023, the European Court of Justice ruled that UEFA’s ban on the Super League violated European law. Last year, a Spanish judge found that FIFA and UEFA had “prevented free competition” by opposing the league, ruling their actions as anti-competitive and an abuse of dominant position.
The Madrid court also dismissed appeals from La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation on Wednesday.
A22 Sports Management, the league’s promoter, said UEFA had “refused any path of compromise or reform” despite months of discussions, leaving them “no other choice” but to seek compensation for the damages caused.
“After years of legal proceedings, UEFA can no longer ignore binding court decisions,” said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart. “By abusing their monopoly and blocking new initiatives, they have caused significant harm to clubs, players, and other stakeholders across Europe.”
UEFA, however, stressed that the ruling does not validate the abandoned 2021 Super League project nor affect its current regulations, which were updated in 2022 and 2024. “These rules ensure that any cross-border competitions are assessed on objective, transparent, non-discriminatory, and proportionate criteria,” the governing body said.
Real Madrid described the ruling as a “confirmation that UEFA seriously infringed European Union free competition rules by abusing its dominant position.” The club said it will continue to work “for the good of global football and fans” while pursuing substantial damages from UEFA.
