Plans proposed by Europe’s top clubs to restructure the Champions League after 2024 could lead to a Euro ‘super league’ and mark major changes to the shape of English football.
The European Club Association (ECA) meets on 5/6 June to discuss the plans they have formulated, along with UEFA, for the restructuring of European competitions. The proposals would see the Champions League reconfigured to four leagues of eight teams. The Europa League would have a top division of 24 clubs and a second division of 64.
Participation in the Champions League would be based on the performance of the tops clubs in the various national leagues over the previous four seasons. There would then be promotion and relegation to the Europa League of four teams each season.
The main purpose of these changes is to increase the number of Euro matches, securing increased broadcasting revenues. There are also plans to ensure that the elite clubs of Europe are hard to displace from the competition and thus guarantee higher revenue streams – further widening the financial gap that these clubs already benefit from.
Further details on the proposals and information on how this may affect English football – not just the Premier League – can be found on the FSF/SD website at: http://www.fsf.org.uk/blog/view/six-reasons-to-oppose-a-european-super-league
The Bundesliga and Premier League have already voiced opposition to these plans, but a decision on the shape of European football will need to be negotiated within the next 12-14 months.
Leicester City is an associate member of the ECA (along with the current tops six in the EPL, plus Newcastle and Everton) and may therefore have some input to this decision. Therefore, the Foxes Trust have written to the Club asking for information on their position regarding these proposals and stating our opposition to them. A copy of the letter sent can be seen here:
FT will be monitoring progress of these negotiations and will report on any national campaigns to oppose these plans and any response to the letter sent the Club management.