PSG President Hails Collapse of Super League as Victory for Football

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has declared “football is the winner” after Real Madrid formally announced the demise of the proposed Super League, ending a three-year standoff that once threatened to fracture the European game.

Speaking to reporters after Madrid confirmed the project’s closure, Al-Khelaifi—who also serves as the European Club Association’s representative on the UEFA Executive Committee—praised the Spanish club’s chairman for initiating the debate, while welcoming the final outcome.

“I thank Florentino Perez, the elegant and intelligent man, the visionary, who always strives to develop and improve things,” Al-Khelaifi said. “And whoever says or believes that Perez ‘lost’ today is completely ignorant and understands nothing about football.”

The breakaway competition, unveiled in April 2021, sought to create a closed league format independent of UEFA governance. Resistance from fans, governments and the majority of Europe’s top clubs quickly reduced the original 12 founding members to a rump of two Spanish giants. Barcelona’s recent decision to abandon the project left Real Madrid as its sole public supporter, prompting the club to acknowledge defeat and re-engage with UEFA and the ECA.

Al-Khelaifi expressed satisfaction that unity had been restored, thanking “everyone, all the parties involved in this historic agreement” and singling out UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin for his “tireless” efforts on behalf of the continent’s teams.

“The most important thing here is that we are all winners, no one is a loser,” he insisted. “Football is the winner, and that’s what we all wanted. This was the goal we set for ourselves for the good of football and its fans.”

With the Super League chapter now closed, attention turns to the next cycle of UEFA competitions and the ongoing push for governance reforms promised in the wake of the 2021 crisis.