London – The government has said it will do “whatever it takes” to prevent a breakaway European Super League involving six leading English clubs.
The Prime Minister said ministers would be working to make sure the league did not go ahead in the way being proposed.
The Duke of Cambridge also said he shared fans’ concerns about “the damage it risks causing to the game we love”.
The 12 founding members of the league – plus three yet to join – would be permanent and never face relegation.
The competition would have 20 teams and the other five sides would have to qualify each year for the competition, to take place midweek and rival the Champions League.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham have signed up to the plan.
They would join Spanish sides Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona and Italian clubs AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan.
Fans and pundits have expressed revulsion at what they claim would be an unfair competition, locking others out of top European football.
Around 68 per cent of football fans strongly oppose the creation of the European Super League (ESL), while only 14 per cent support it, according to a YouGov survey of 1 730 fans.
Some 700 football supporters gathered outside Leeds United’s Elland Road ground ahead of the club’s Premier League game against Liverpool to protest against the proposed new league.
Prince William, who is the current president of the Football Association, said in a tweet: “Now, more than ever, we must protect the entire football community – from the top level to the grassroots – and the values of competition and fairness at its core.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he remained opposed to the idea of the league, despite his club agreeing to join it.
“I like the competitive aspect of football. I like that West Ham might play in the Champions League,” he said, adding that he and his players did not know about the move before it happened. (BBC)
