A22 Sports Management, the company that manages the Super League, announced this Tuesday that it has sent a proposal to UEFA and FIFA to obtain official recognition of its new European club football competitions. Under the December 2023 ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union, any competition whose classification is carried out in an inclusive, meritocratic manner and that respects the global calendar, can officially see the light.
One of the main features of the proposal is a revised classification system in which clubs’ participation depends on the clubs’ performance in their respective domestic leagues each season. According to its statement, the proposal complies with UEFA’s definition of the ‘European Sports Model’. The annual ranking system was largely developed as a result of discussions with clubs, leagues and other interested parties.
These conversations were even more intense after the CJEU ruling, where a more constructive environment for open dialogue was created. Bernd ReichartCEO of A22, said: “A22 is focused on achieving sustainable growth and development for football. In carrying out our work we have identified a number of critical challenges facing our sport, such as rising costs of subscription for fans, an unsustainable match calendar, inadequate investment in women’s football and dissatisfaction with the current pan-European competitions from the point of view of format and governance. “Our proposal aims to provide solutions.”
New competition system
Among the main novelties of the new competition is that there are now four leagues, not three, and in the final phase, which will be held as a final four in a single country. The Star League, the top category, would consist of 16 teams that would be divided into two groups of eight. 14 matches would be played, back and forth, and the first four finishers in each group would qualify for the quarterfinals. This round would be played round-trip and those classified would meet in the same country to play the semifinals and the final in a single match on a neutral field. The system would be the same in each of the divisions.
All matches live and free
A central element of this vision is the Unify platform, a consumer-oriented streaming service announced in December 2023 that will broadcast all matches live. Unify will offer two possibilities to watch the matches, for free with advertising or by accessing one of the premium packages with affordable prices.
The platform will improve the football watching experience, consolidating multiple subscriptions into a single app and offering advanced features.
Finally, it will connect clubs directly with their fans around the world for the first time. Reflecting the importance of this platform for the project’s mission, the set of competitions proposed by A22 is renamed the Unify League. Bernd Reichart said: “Now is the time for everyone in the football world, including UEFA and FIFA, to bring true innovation that puts the affordable fan experience, player welfare and competitiveness of matches first.