The company A22, which has been appointed to lead the Super League, has unveiled a proposed tournament structure shortly after football fans worldwide grappled with the news of Super League clubs winning a case in the EU court.
During a press conference on YouTube, A22's director Bernd Reichart presented their vision for a new merit-based Super League.
The men's tournament will include 64 teams divided across three levels: Star, Gold, and Blue. This structure closely resembles the Champions League, with an initial league phase followed by a knockout phase, culminating in a winner for each level.
The women's tournament will feature 32 teams across two levels: Star and Gold.
The tournament, still named European Super League, will operate independently of UEFA. It involves promotion and relegation between levels, and teams not initially included in the tournament can qualify for the Blue level through their domestic leagues.
The men's tournament will have 16 teams in Star and Gold, divided into two groups, and 32 teams in Blue, divided into four groups.
Teams will play home and away matches, with the top teams advancing to the quarterfinals. The two worst-performing teams in Star will be relegated to Gold and replaced by the top teams in Gold, who will be promoted. Similarly, the worst-performing teams in Gold will move down to Blue, replaced by the top teams in Blue.
The bottom 20 teams in Blue will exit the European Super League entirely and be replaced by 20 new teams qualifying through their domestic leagues. The qualification process for the Blue level was not detailed in the press conference.
The women's tournament, with its 32 teams across Star and Gold levels, will function similarly to the men's, but without a Blue level. The four worst-performing teams will leave the European Super League and be replaced by new teams.
All matches from the tournament will be streamed for free on a new platform named Unify, created by A22.
The Spanish football bosses, including Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez and Barcelona, have praised the EU court's decision. Pérez expressed immense satisfaction with the ruling, seeing it as an opportunity to improve European club football and end its monopoly. Barcelona also welcomed the decision, recognizing it as a path to a new football tournament in Europe.
This new Super League format represents a significant shift in European football, challenging the traditional structures and offering a fresh approach to club competition.
