“Real Alone, Barcelona Withdraws from Controversial League”

Spanish football giants Barcelona have formally announced their withdrawal from the controversial European Super League (ESL), ending years of speculation over their continued involvement. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Catalan club confirmed that it had notified the Super League company and the other participating clubs in writing of its decision to step aside.

The move represents yet another significant setback for a project that has been mired in controversy since its inception in 2021. Originally launched with twelve of Europe’s top clubs, the ESL faced immediate backlash from fans, football associations, and governing bodies. Under pressure, England’s so-called “Big Six” — Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur — quickly withdrew their participation.

Subsequently, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and eventually Juventus also exited the project, leaving only Real Madrid and Barcelona as its principal representatives. With Barcelona’s departure, Real Madrid is now effectively the sole high-profile club still associated with the Super League.

Barcelona’s decision is reportedly motivated in part by a desire to restore relations with UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA). Club president Joan Laporta has repeatedly emphasised his intention to rebuild closer ties with UEFA, a commitment he reaffirmed during a meeting in Rome last October. In a club statement, Barcelona explained:

“In consideration of the club’s long-term interests and in order to operate fully within the framework of European football, we have decided to withdraw from the Super League project.”

The Super League initiative itself has undergone several iterations. After the initial 2021 attempt failed, the project was relaunched in 2024 under the name “Unify League” by the ESL’s founding company, A-22 Sports. The organisers even applied to UEFA and FIFA for recognition to host a new European competition.

In December 2023, a European court ruled that restrictions imposed by UEFA and FIFA on such a competition could constitute an “abuse of dominance.” UEFA, however, later maintained that the regulatory adjustments made after 2021 were compliant with European law.

Meanwhile, UEFA’s revamped Champions League format — featuring 36 teams in a Swiss-model league and adjusted revenue distribution — has been largely welcomed by most clubs, further reducing interest in any breakaway league.

Tensions between Barcelona and Real Madrid have also risen in recent years, particularly over the so-called Negreira case, in which Barcelona’s financial dealings with a former official of the Spanish referees’ commission (2001–2018) remain under investigation. Real Madrid has reportedly adopted a firm stance in this ongoing probe, straining relations between the two Spanish giants.

European Super League Club Withdrawals

With Barcelona’s exit, the Super League faces an uncertain future, leaving Real Madrid as the sole prominent club championing a project that many now view as increasingly untenable.