The legal dispute related to the European Super League is apparently over. Real Madrid was the only club still signed up to the project following FC Barcelona’s recent withdrawal.
A public announcement posted on the UEFA and Real Madrid websites on Feb. 11, 2026, read: “Following months of discussions conducted in the best interests of European football, UEFA, European Football Clubs (EFC), and Real Madrid CF announce that they have reached an agreement of principles for the well-being of European club football, respecting the principle of sporting merit with emphasis on long-term club sustainability and the enhancement of fan experience through the use of technology.”
The European Super League concept was originally proposed in April 2021, led by Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez and agreed by 12 founding clubs: AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Tottenham Hotspur. The project, which purported to establish a financially sustainable model for European club competitions, faced opposition from various groups in and around football, with critics pointing for example to the very notion of a semi-closed league format reserved for elite teams. The reasons for the rapid failure of the project at the time have been explored by Spanish researchers Xavier Ginesta and Carles Viñas in an article, titled “The geopolitics of the European super league: A historiographical approach and a media analysis of the failed project in 2021.”
Real Madrid is now reportedly expected to rejoin European Football Clubs (EFC), formerly the European Club Association (ECA). The Spanish club had left in 2021 in connection with the breakaway project.
