European Super League says 20 teams ready to join division
A key figure in A22 Sports is claiming that the European Super League (ESL) is starting to take shape. The company’s co-founder, Anas Laghrari, recently conducted an interview with French newspaper Ouest-France regarding the breakaway league. A22 Sports previously joined forces with ESL officials to help market and promote the potential division.
After a long battle with FIFA/UEFA, ESL executives won a recent court case involving the formation of the new league. The European Court of Justice declared in December that the two governing bodies abused their positions in attempting to block the formation of the ESL. FIFA and UEFA also acted unlawfully by threatening to sanction clubs for joining the breakaway league.
Clubs willing to join ESL despite issuing conflicting statements
As a result of the ruling, ESL officials are trying to get the ball rolling once again. A plethora of top teams, however, almost immediately came out after the ruling to declare that they would remain in their current situation. Nevertheless, Laghrari is now claiming that private talks between these clubs are currently ongoing.
“I don’t want to say the names [of the clubs] because I don’t want to expose them,” Laghrari told the French news outlet. “Since December 21st, we have spoken with around fifty different clubs. About twenty of them are very, very motivated by the project. We already have enough clubs to start a competition.”
When asked why certain clubs would publicly denounce the ESL and then continue discussions with their officials, Laghrari claimed that it was just part of the business. Teams, according to the A22 co-founder, are appealing to their fans and the media.
“A club that has already given its commitment, but that published a statement to position itself against it, told us: ‘It’s exactly the same as when you confirm a coach for the job and fire him in the following weeks,'” continued Laghrari.
Streaming European Super League teams would be free for soccer fans
Along with discussing the potential formation of the breakaway league, Laghrari also touched on how fans could watch their matches. ESL executives recently revealed that they have created a new streaming platform called Unify. The service, which is set to be available for soccer fans worldwide, will also be free.
“Why pay 40, 50, 60, or 170 euros per month, like in Spain, to be able to watch football when you can do it for free?” proclaimed Laghrari.
“I have heard a lot that we are going to have one game per day that will be free or that it will be free for three months and then we will have to pay. No. All the games will be free, and it will be that way forever.”
The A22 co-founder pointed out other free services that consumers use daily around the globe. “Gmail is free, WhatsApp is free, Instagram is free… And yet they generate a lot of money per user,” Laghrari explained. “You, in Rennes, will not see the same advertising as someone here in Madrid.”
Although free streaming will likely make many fans perk up, the ESL remains an unpopular option for many soccer supporters. Fans quickly and emphatically protested their clubs back in 2021 when the league made their first attempt to form. And it does not seem as if these fans have changed their minds in the last few years.
Nevertheless, Barcelona and Real Madrid still hope to move on from UEFA shortly. It remains to be seen, however, if they will be joined by other top clubs from around the continent.
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