The European Court of Justice has ruled in favour of the European Super League in its case against FIFA and UEFA.
As a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, 12 teams - including six from the Premier League - announced plans to form a new division with the aim of securing their financial future.
However, each of the English clubs - Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea - as well as AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid, quickly withdrew, while Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus remained intent on going through with the contractually-agreed plans.
In an effort to safeguard their own competitions, FIFA and UEFA have each threatened sanctions, but the case was subsequently taken to the European Court of Justice by A22 Sports.
That was put forward to 15 judges, with the aim being to stop the two leading governing bodies from imposing sanctions should a European Super League eventually come to fruition.
On Thursday morning, it was ruled that any attempt to ban players from playing in a breakaway competition such as the Super League would be "unlawful".
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A statement read: "The FIFA and UEFA rules making any interclub football project subject to their prior approval, such as the Super League, and prohibiting players from playing in those competitions, are unlawful."
Furthermore, it ruled: "However, the powers of FIFA and UEFA are not subject to any such criteria. FIFA and UEFA are, therefore, abusing a dominant position.
"Moreover, given their arbitrary nature, their rules on approval, control and sanctions must be held to be unjustified restrictions on the freedom to provide services.
"That does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved. The Court does not rule on that specific project in its judgment."
In response to the verdict going in their favour, A22 Sports CEO Bernd Reichart claimed that football had now become "free" ahead of the aforementioned three clubs being expected to lead the efforts to form a rival league.
He stated: "We have won the right to compete. The UEFA-monopoly is over. Football is free. Clubs are now free from the threat of sanction and free to determine their own futures.
"For fans: We propose free viewing of all Super League matches. For clubs: Revenues and solidarity spending will be guaranteed."
More recently, it was suggested that a European Super League 2.0 would be formed, the format seeing as many as 80 teams involved that would include a number of different divisions.
Darren Plant
