UEFA on Thursday rejected claims by Super League promoter A22 Sports Management that discussions were underway to create a new Champions League format.
However, the European football governing body admitted to holding informal meetings with A22 representatives.
A22 had told AFP it was “negotiating” with UEFA over a new version of the competition. “What A22 and the Super League clubs have done is to propose an agreement to UEFA that essentially consists of providing a free broadcasting platform and making very slight changes to the current competition format,” said a spokesperson for A22.
The updated model, which differs significantly from the controversial 2021 semi-closed Super League concept, suggests dividing the 36 current Champions League teams into two groups of 18. The top-ranked clubs from each group would then proceed to a round of 32.
UEFA confirmed that its general secretary, Theodore Theodoridis, met publicly with A22 co-founder Anas Laghrari, but emphasized that the talks “produced no official results.” The organization further stated, “There are no plans to change the UEFA Champions League format,” referring to the revised structure that took effect with the 2024–25 season.
The new developments follow remarks by Barcelona president Joan Laporta, a long-time supporter of the Super League initiative, who expressed his wish for “an agreement with UEFA” to “pacify” European football. His stance marks a notable shift after years of friction between UEFA and Super League proponents.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi, who leads the rebranded European Football Clubs (EFC), formerly known as the European Club Association, praised Laporta’s new tone during an EFC meeting in Rome. Still, Al-Khelaifi downplayed the notion that this signals a revival of the Super League project.
“For me, it was already dead before,” the Qatari executive asserted, adding, “We don’t need other competitions; we already have the best competitions.”
What you should know
UEFA dismissed claims of ongoing talks with Super League promoter A22 Sports Management, confirming only informal meetings.
A22’s latest proposal offers minimal format changes and a free broadcast model. UEFA maintains there are no plans to alter the Champions League structure introduced in the 2024–25 season.
