SHOWDOWN BETWEEN EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE, UEFA AND FIFA IN THE EU'S TOP JUDICIAL AUTHORITY

SHOWDOWN BETWEEN EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE, UEFA AND FIFA IN THE EU'S TOP JUDICIAL AUTHORITY

Following request by a Madrid Commercial Court for a preliminary ruling, the protracted European Super League Company, S.L. versus UEFA and FIFA case, was back in court this week, this time at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg.  

Recalling the request for preliminary ruling by the Madrid Commercial Court, were the CJEU was asked for an interpretation of UEFA and FIFA’s alleged dominant and monopolistic positions in the light of European competition law, the Super League objects to the triple-fold role of the Sport Governing Bodies as regulators, commercial operators in their competitions while also being gatekeepers that inhibit rival competition.  

In concrete terms, the Super League challenges the legality of specific UEFA (Art. 49 and Art. 51) and FIFA (Art. 22.3; Art. 71 and Art. 73) provisions and seeks recourse through disparate EU law provisions as contained under fundamental freedoms (Art. 45, 49 and 63) and under competition provisions (Art. 101 and Art. 102 TFEU). 

The hearing provided an opportunity for most EU member states to side with UEFA and FIFA which favour the promotion of the European Sport Model. The European Commission on the other hand conceded existence of different ways to run sport and questioned the proportionality of UEFA threats to ban players. 

The Attorney General is expected to deliver an opinion on the case on 15 December, which is non-binding. The EOC EU Office will be sure to keep you informed about future development in the case.  

You can relieve the CJEU hearing here.  

Recent Posts

European Commission launches #BeActive Awards 2023 competition

On 16 March, the European Commission opened the submission for the #BeActive Awards 2023. The #BeActive Awards 2023 are designed to celebrate organisations and projects that have thrivingly promoted sport and physical activity throughout Europe. The #BeActive Awards 2023  includes four categories: Across Generations award: this award, first launched in 2022, is intended to honour […]

Read More
MEPs address UEFA & IOC on exclusion of Belarusian athletes from EURO 2024 & Paris 2024

On 14 March, 104 MEPs addressed a letter to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin opposing the participation of Belarus at the EURO 2024 qualifiers. The MEPs, from all the main political groups, called on the European football governing body to ban Belarus from EURO 2024 qualifying matches due to the regime’s abuse of human rights. As […]

Read More
MEPs host exhibition on e-sports and videogames

On 7 March, an exhibition on e-sports and videogames was held in the European Parliament building in Brussels, hosted by MEP Laurence Farreng (Renew) with the support of the S&D, the EPP, the Greens, and the International Software Federation of Europe (ISFE). Several MEPs made an intervention, highlighting e-sports as a rapidly developing sector with […]

Read More

Related Posts

March 17, 2023
European Commission launches #BeActive Awards 2023 competition

On 16 March, the European Commission opened the submission for the #BeActive Awards 2023. The #BeActive Awards 2023 are designed to celebrate organisations and projects that have thrivingly promoted sport and physical activity throughout Europe. The #BeActive Awards 2023  includes four categories: Across Generations award: this award, first launched in 2022, is intended to honour […]

March 17, 2023
MEPs address UEFA & IOC on exclusion of Belarusian athletes from EURO 2024 & Paris 2024

On 14 March, 104 MEPs addressed a letter to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin opposing the participation of Belarus at the EURO 2024 qualifiers. The MEPs, from all the main political groups, called on the European football governing body to ban Belarus from EURO 2024 qualifying matches due to the regime’s abuse of human rights. As […]

March 13, 2023
MEPs host exhibition on e-sports and videogames

On 7 March, an exhibition on e-sports and videogames was held in the European Parliament building in Brussels, hosted by MEP Laurence Farreng (Renew) with the support of the S&D, the EPP, the Greens, and the International Software Federation of Europe (ISFE). Several MEPs made an intervention, highlighting e-sports as a rapidly developing sector with […]

About us

The EOC EU Office is the House of European Sport, representing the European Olympic Committees (EOC), the IOC and other major sport organisations to the European institutions in Brussels.
CONTACT
crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram