A key opinion from the European Union’s Court of Justice, which came out on Thursday, says that UEFA and FIFA have the right to freeze a European Super League and its competing teams.

In the wake of the disastrous debut of the Super League the year before, most teams quickly backed out. This outcry came from fans, politicians, and football regulating organisations.

The Spanish league has since stated its will to block a fresh proposal for an elite division, which it claims would “destroy” the current structure of the domestic game.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus are still believed to be interested when it was revealed in October 2022 that an effort was in a way to revitalise the proposals. However, there is still strong opposition from UEFA, which runs European football, and FIFA, the international regulatory body of football.

The Commercial Court of Madrid asked the EU Court of Justice’s attorney general, Athanasios Rantos, to rule on whether FIFA and UEFA would have the power to take action per competition law and fundamental freedoms. He did so in a recent opinion.

Executives from the European Super League (ESLC) contended that this scenario is anti-competitive and violates EU competition legislation.

With a court ruling expected in the new year, Rantos stated his opinion, which is not binding: “Whilst ESLC is free to set up its independent football competition outside the UEFA and FIFA ecosystem. It cannot, however, simultaneously with the creation of such a competition, continue to participate in the football competitions organised by FIFA and UEFA without the prior authorisation of those federations.”

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Players and clubs participating in the independent league were threatened with exclusion from FIFA and UEFA competitions.

Six Premier League clubs and three from La Liga and Serie A agreed to join the European Super League until public backlash forced a reconsideration.

A club’s participation in a competition “that would risk undermining the objectives properly pursued by those federations in which they are members,” as indicated in the decision from Rantos, could result in disciplinary action.

In reaction, UEFA stated, “UEFA warmly welcomes today’s unequivocal opinion recommending a ruling of the CJEU in support of our central mission to govern European football, protect the pyramid, and develop the game across Europe.”

A positive step toward maintaining the “dynamic and democratic governance structure of the European football pyramid” was hailed due to the ruling.

For its part, UEFA stated, “Football in Europe remains united and steadfastly opposed to the ESL or any such breakaway proposals, which would threaten the entire European sports ecosystem.”