Barcelona have issued a statement officially announcing their withdrawal from the European Super League, ending their controversial breakaway tournament.
Barcelona leaves Real Madrid as the only club to support the European Super League (Image: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Barcelona have withdrawn their support for the European Super League, leaving rivals Real Madrid as the last club to support the controversial initiative. Super League organizers have been pursuing legal avenues to revive their ailing project, but Barça’s withdrawal could be a death sentence.
“FC Barcelona today announces that it has formally notified the European Super League management company and the clubs involved of its withdrawal from the European Super League project,” the club said in a statement.
The European Super League was first announced in April 2021, with 12 teams supporting its departure from UEFA. These were the Premier League’s ‘big six’ clubs, plus three clubs each from Spain and Italy.
Premier League clubs Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea withdrew within 72 hours following a total backlash from their supporters. Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan and AC Milan followed suit, with Juventus also joining in June 2024.
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This left Real Madrid and Barcelona as the only remaining backers, with Madrid-based company A22 leading a legal battle with UEFA to establish a league that is frequently renewed. After an initial 12-team concept, it became a 64-club format across three divisions, with promotion and relegation between tiers, and then became a 96-team competition across four tiers, rebranded as the Unifi League.
Barça president Joan Laporta is a vocal supporter of Super League, and the club’s withdrawal reportedly left Real Madrid and president Florentino Perez furious.
Despite the lack of support, A22 has continued to set goals that are considered milestones towards shaping a new era of European football. In November, the organization requested that UEFA give its approval within eight weeks.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta makes U-turn to European Super League (Image: Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
However, Barcelona’s departure is a huge blow to that concept. There is no doubt that a lack of clear direction, as well as a fierce backlash from fans, is holding back the European Super League, and Laporta’s comments on 2024 show just how unclear that is.
“In addition to Barça and Madrid, there will also be Italians: Inter, Milan, Napoli and Roma,” he told Catalan radio station RAC1. “French teams such as Marseille and the three Portuguese teams of Sporting, Benfica and Porto would also be happy to come. Then there are the Dutch teams (Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV) and also the Belgians Brugge and Anderlecht. It would be better to have 16 teams competing.”
“The European Cup started in 1955 with a small number of clubs and later became Europe’s premier competition. I imagine a first stage like this, and then[more clubs]will integrate.”
There was no such groundswell of support and Barcelona ultimately decided to cut their losses.
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