SUMMARY
- A fresh new format for the league has been proposed, which is targeted to present dynamic competition in European soccer.
- It is expected that ESL will try to poach more teams from UEFA in 2024 to play in their competition.
The European Super League is back on track after the European Court of Justice ruled UEFA and FIFA’s attempt to block any new competition unlawful as per EU laws. The ruling has fast-tracked plans for the competition, which was first introduced in 2021.
A fresh new format for the league has been proposed, which is targeted to present dynamic competition in European soccer. The format has three tiers, namely, the Star League, the Gold League, and the Blue League. The Star and Gold tiers will have 16 teams each, while the Blue League will have 32 teams.
All teams will be inducted into the tiers on sporting merit, with no permanent members in the league, unlike the format proposed in 2021. All three tiers will have promotion and relegation, with induction into the Blue tier that will hinge on the club’s domestic league performance.
There will be two stages: the group stage and the knockout stage. The Star tier will be divided into two groups of eight. Same format for the Gold tier, but the Blue tier will have four groups of eight. The group stage will feature 14 matches in the league stage, including seven at home and seven away matches.
Here is the format of the European Super League.
⚡️64 teams
🚩3-tier league structure (Star, Gold and Blue)
🎵Relegation/relegation between leagues.
⚽️14 matches in the season
🏠7 home fields
🚀7 away
⛔️Regular season + PlayOffpic.twitter.com/HaFsmDPlKG— FootColic ⚽️ (@FootColic) December 21, 2023
The top four teams in each group of the Star and Gold tiers and the top two teams in each group of the Blue tier will advance to the quarterfinals of each separate tier, which will consist of two-legged ties. The final for each tier will be played in a neutral venue to crown a different champion for each tier. In the inaugural year, teams in each tier will be selected based on transparent performance criteria.
European Super League (ESL) will be streamed free for fans around the world
A22 Sports is the company behind the project and is optimistic about the resurrection of the competition in 2024. Along with the new format, a new streaming platform will be launched for the competition. The digital platform aims to bring together billions of soccer fans around the globe.
A digital streaming platform, named UNIFY, is proposed to be launched along with ESL, where fans can watch the matches and highlights free of charge. This initiative is an A22’s way of gaining the support of the fans for this tournament. Fans were the main obstacle that ESL couldn’t overcome in 2021. However, the sports development company is moving differently this time around.
The future of football is free.
We are proposing a state-of-the-art streaming platform to allow fans to watch every game for free. #BetterForFootball
Discover more about Unify: pic.twitter.com/QXyU3pKhwF
— A22 Sports (@A22Sports) December 21, 2023
There are no official details about the start of this new proposed format, either on the websites of A22 Sports or the European Super League. It is expected that ESL will try to poach more teams from UEFA in 2024 to play in their competition instead of the European competitions organized by the governing body. ESL wants to provide an opportunity for the club to decide its future.
Dismantling of the European Super League in 2021
Back in 2021, twelve clubs announced together that they proposed to form a new league of these ‘Super’ teams. The competition was named the European Super League and was expected to be formed by 15 founding clubs and five revolving members from leagues around Europe.
Teams from the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A proposed to take part in it. However, the competition and its proposed format of guaranteeing safety to the founding members led to instant backlash from fans.
Mesut Özil on the proposed European Super League back in 2021 💔 pic.twitter.com/SPwnBIuXrJ
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 21, 2023
All clubs from the Premier League backed out first due to the backlash. This prompted Atlético Madrid, AC Milan, and Inter Milan to follow the same route. This led to the dismantling of the Super League in its infancy. However, this latest ruling and fresh format have ignited a new fire for A22 Sports. The coming few months could change the landscape of European soccer forever.