Harry Diamond
FIFA have warned that players will be banned from featuring at the World Cup if their clubs join a European Super League amid continued speculation of a breakaway league.
Rumours have continued to circulate regarding a breakaway league involving the biggest clubs in European football, with a number of Premier League sides understood to have held talks over a division which would change the landscape of domestic competition.
There has been a repeated clamour from world football’s wealthiest sides for more lucrative fixtures against the continent’s finest, the discussions over a potential Super League also offering a threat to UEFA’s Champions League.
FIFA have now warned that any potential breakaway division would ‘not be recognised’ by the world governing body, and have released a statement informing players from such clubs would then be banned from competing in any tournament organised by FIFA or UEFA – including the World Cup and European Championships.
“In light of recent media speculation about the creation of a closed European ‘Super League’ by some European clubs, FIFA and the six confederations (AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA) once again would like to reiterate and strongly emphasize that such a competition would not be recognised by either FIFA or the respective confederation.
“Any club or player involved in such a competition would as a consequence not be allowed to participate in any competition organised by FIFA or their respective confederation.”
Liverpool and Manchester United are two sides both understood to be pushing the proposals following the failure of the ‘Project Big Picture’ plans, which were rejected amid proposals to hand the Premier League’s biggest six clubs unprecedented power.
However, not all of Europe’s superpowers are in favour of a European Super League, with European champions Bayern Munich having revealed they would decline any invitation to join a breakaway division.
Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “If the system changed, it could make it more difficult for many people to identify with football.
“It could cause serious damage to the national leagues, that is why I have my reservations.
“If I had to decide today for Bayern, I would decline.”
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