The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that FIFA and UEFA have the right to block clubs from joining any new competitions, such as the European Super League (ESL) that was planned in 2021, that have not been approved by the organizations.
"The FIFA-UEFA rules under which any new competition is subject to prior approval are compatible with EU competition law," Advocate General Athanasios Rantos said. The ruling added that the two football bodies, as well as national leagues and federations, are allowed to issue "threats of sanctions" against clubs participating in projects to create a new competition.
In 2021, 12 major European clubs announced plans to take part in the proposed ESL, but pulled out of the project after facing backlash from UEFA and national leagues, as well as fans. Earlier this year, fresh talks emerged about the potential revival of the idea, with UEFA strongly criticizing the idea.
