Just a day after the “European Super League” plan, featuring 15 permanent “founding members” and only five qualifying spots for a midweek league intended to take on the UEFA Champions League, was publicly announced, that league now seems likely to not actually happen. Only 12 clubs had signed on as “founding members” as of Monday’s announcement, and the English teams (and perhaps others) have now pulled out amidst massive backlash from fans, players, politicians, UEFA and FIFA executives, and even late-night hosts. At least one other club executive has reportedly resigned. So the whole league plan seems very much in doubt. Here are some of the reports of teams leaving and executives resigning:
BREAKING
I understand Chelsea are now preparing documentation to request withdrawing from the ESL— Dan Roan (@danroan) April 20, 2021
Manchester City pulling out of Super League. City have told organisers they no longer want to be part of the £4.6billion scheme. Full details coming @SunSport @TheSunFootball @TheSun
— Martin Lipton (@MartinLipton) April 20, 2021
Update: Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea confirmed their withdrawals later Tuesday:
Club statement.https://t.co/GeNQZn8091
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 20, 2021
As a result of listening to you and the wider football community over recent days we are withdrawing from the proposed Super League.
We made a mistake, and we apologise for it.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 20, 2021
We can confirm that we have formally commenced procedures to withdraw from the group developing proposals for a European Super League (ESL).#THFC ⚪️ #COYS
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 20, 2021
Liverpool Football Club can confirm that our involvement in proposed plans to form a European Super League has been discontinued.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 20, 2021
Club statement.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 20, 2021
We will not be participating in the European Super League.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 20, 2021
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Ed Woodward resigned:
BREAKING: Ed Woodward has resigned as chairman of Manchester United.
Woodward’s decision comes after the backlash over the European Super League.
– talkSPORT sources understand
📻 Listen → https://t.co/VJgUHnqdM1 pic.twitter.com/gNcRfW5xdp
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 20, 2021
Confirmed. Ed Woodward has stepped down as Man Utd exec vice chairman. Was planning to quit in summer, but tghe ESL fiasco has brought it to a head now
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) April 20, 2021
Elsewhere, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said they won’t join without the approval of their members’ assembly, and that seems unlikely to happen. And with so many clubs leaving, and several others, including Bayern Munich and PSG, already saying they won’t join, it looks like the Super League idea is all but done just a day after its public reveal. But there are reports that some remaining clubs may try to push on, so we’ll see where it goes next.
[ESPN; graphic from India’s News18]
