The new European Super League has been announced – and though there aren't many details at the moment, it seems possible that games could be exported around the world.
The new competition was announced this morning, with the key principles of qualification included into the competition, while sustainability, protecting fans and growing the women's game was also mentioned.
While the format of the tournament is as yet unknown, we do know a few things: it would consist of multiple divisions – and between 60 and 80 teams. Teams will apparently play a minimum of 14 games a season.
From that, we can ascertain a few things. There could be 15 teams in each league, playing each other once – or, eight teams in a league, playing each other home and away.
If it's the former, that's a minimum of four divisions. The latter – and that's as many as eight. Eight tiers of league seems like far too many, thus suggesting that the Super League will consist of 15 clubs, who all play each other once.
The Swiss model is set to be introduced to the Champions League the season after next. Under the format, teams will draw a selection of random fixtures to play, rather than playing every team in the competition – and it could well be that in the new Super League plans, something similar happens.
With 14 games a season and 15 teams in each tier, clubs could draw five of other clubs in the league at home, five away and five on neutral territory. This would enable the Super League to take their competition around the globe and explore some of the marketing opportunities that the rest of the world could offer.
With Spanish football experimenting with football abroad – and recently going to Saudi Arabia for the Super Cup – the Super League could tap into the opportunities of the American and Middle Eastern markets, taking competitive European club football to these places for the first time.
Of course, this is all just speculation, though. Watch this space…
More on the European Super League
A new European Super League has been announced. Previously, new chief executive Bernd Reichart said the competition could begin in 2024/25.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin slammed the European Super League founders in March last year, as the timeline for the 2021 version of the competition descended into farce.
