MADRID: Spanish giants Real Madrid and the Super League promoters have filed a massive lawsuit against UEFA, demanding over $4 billion in damages.
The complaint accuses European football’s governing body of illegally blocking the creation of the breakaway competition the European Super League and abusing its dominant position in the sport, a source confirmed to AFP on Thursday, October 30.
This move follows a ruling by a Spanish court on Wednesday that dismissed UEFA’s appeal and sided with the Super League’s backers.
The Super League was originally launched in 2021 by twelve of Europe’s biggest football clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona. However, the project quickly collapsed after just a few days amid widespread backlash from fans, players, and football authorities — especially in England.
In December 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that UEFA and FIFA had violated European competition law by attempting to block the breakaway league.
A Spanish judge later confirmed that both organisations had “prevented free competition” and engaged in “abuse of a dominant position.”
Following the Madrid court’s decision, La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation also lost their appeals, paving the way for the Super League organisers to demand financial compensation.
A22 Sports Management, the company behind the Super League project, criticised UEFA for refusing to embrace reform despite “months of dialogue.
After years of legal proceedings, UEFA can no longer ignore binding court decisions,” said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart.
By abusing their monopoly and preventing new initiatives, they have caused substantial damage to numerous clubs, players, and other stakeholders.”
However, UEFA insists its rules remain valid, stating:
This ruling does not validate the abandoned Super League project nor undermine UEFA’s current authorisation rules, which ensure fairness and transparency in all cross-border competitions.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid celebrated the court’s decision, describing it as a historic victory for fair competition.
The club will continue to work for the good of global football and its fans while seeking substantial damages from UEFA, Real Madrid stated.
