Both UEFA and FIFA have offered the 12 breakaway clubs a way back after they signed up to a new European Super League.
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Six Premier League clubs, plus three from Italy and Spain, signed up to the new midweek competition which will have 20 teams per season with 15 team guaranteed each season and another five to be invited each year.
Speaking at the UEFA congress meeting in Montreux, Switzerland on Tuesday, both UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and FIFA president Gianni Infantino spoke at length about the proposed Super League and reiterated the stance that both governing bodies do not support it.
Ceferin then offered the 12 clubs an olive branch and urged them to take it before it was too late.
“At this point I would like to address the owners of some English clubs,” Ceferin said. “Gentlemen, you made a huge mistake. Some will say it is greed, others disdain, arrogance, flippancy or complete ignorance of England’s football culture.
“But actually it doesn’t matter. What matters is there is still time to change your mind. Everyone makes mistakes. English fans deserve to have you correct your mistake. They deserve respect.
“So, to the English clubs mainly, come to your senses – not out of love for football, because I imagine some of you don’t have much of that – but out of respect for those who bleed themselves dry so that they can go to the stadium to support their team and want the dream to be kept alive. For those, you change your mind. Do it out of respect for the English people, for the home of football.”
Ceferin had previously stated that players at Super League clubs would not be able to play for their national teams, while domestic leagues across Europe had warned clubs they would not be able to play in their competitions.
New finances for Champions League?
A report from Bloomberg also states that UEFA are ready to make a counter offer to the Super League clubs, as a $7.2 billion deal with Centricus would pump more money into a new-look Champions League.
According to the report, Centricus have been in talks with UEFA for many months over a proposed deal.
Given the fact that UEFA just announced a format change for the Champions League from the 2024-25 on, these potential newfound finances could be used to tempt the Super League clubs back to the competition.
It remains to be seen whether the Super League clubs will now head to the negotiating table with UEFA, but Ceferin seems open to them returning.
FIFA back UEFA, and fire a warning shot
Infantino also backed up the comments from Ceferin, but fired a warning to the Super League clubs that once the competition is fully confirmed there will be no way back to UEFA and other competitions, such as domestic leagues.
“We can only strongly disapprove the creation of the Super League, a Super League which is a closed shop, which is a breakaway from the current institutions, from the leagues, from the associations, from UEFA, and from FIFA,” Infantino said.
“There is a lot to throw away for the short-term financial gain of some. They need to reflect, and they need to assume responsibility. If some elect to go their own way, then they must live with the consequences of their choice. They are responsible for their choice. Concretely, this means either you’re in or you’re out. You cannot be half in or half out.”
So, to Super League or not to Super League? That is the multi-billion dollar question, and clubs now have to weigh up whether it will be worth all of the hassle.
