FAI President slams Super League proposals as UEFA confirm new Champions League structure

FAI President Gerry McAnaney has denounced the European Super League and said the integrity of the game is at stake due to the breakaway competition.

This new midweek competition will feature twelve top clubs from across Europe such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Speaking from the UEFA Congress in Switzerland, he said: “I have confirmed to UEFA that we stand with them in their stance against this Super League proposal. The integrity of the game is at stake here and such an elitist competition cannot be considered.”

The FAI have also written to UEFA to express their support for their proposed new format for European club competitions from 2024 onwards. 

Under these new plans, the number of teams in the Champions League will be increased from 32 to 36 and the traditional group stage will turn into a single league stage which will include all participating teams.

Every club will be guaranteed a minimum of 10 league stage games against 10 different opponents (five home games, five away) rather than the previous six matches against three teams, played on a home and away basis.

The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the knockout stage, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure their path to the last 16 of the competition.

One of the additional places will go to the club ranked third in the championship of the association in fifth position in the UEFA national association ranking. The number of clubs qualifying via the so-called “Champions Path” will be increased from four to five.

The final two places will go to the clubs with the highest club coefficient over the last five years that have not qualified for the Champions League group stage but have qualified either for the Champions League qualification phase, the Europa League or the Europa Conference League.

These proposals have now been approved by the UEFA Executive Committee. The FAI Chief Executive Jonathan having wrote to UEFA’s Director of National Associations Zoran Lakovic in February and April at the beginning of April confirming the FAI’s backing.

Hill said: “I said to Zoran then and I repeat now that whilst we recognise this may cause some local challenges for certain Federations in terms of scheduling, we believe that the now agreed approach is essential for the future of UEFA, the wider European football pyramid structure and the future financial health of all European constituents including Associations such as the FAI who will continue to benefit from that pyramid and from key UEFA solidarity payments which have been maintained during difficult recent times for football.”

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— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) April 20, 2021