UEFA and Real Madrid come to agreement over European Super League legal action

The proposed European Super League has been definitively buried after Real Madrid, the last club still attached to the breakaway project, reached a comprehensive agreement with UEFA that will end all related litigation.

The Spanish champions, together with the ESL’s management company A22, had pursued a claim for approximately €4 billion in damages against European football’s governing body, alleging improper conduct in the governing body’s efforts to block the competition. Club president Florentino Pérez told members as recently as November 2025 that he expected a courtroom victory.

That optimism evaporated on Wednesday when a joint statement from UEFA, European Football Clubs (EFC) and Real Madrid announced “an agreement of principles for the well-being of European club football.” The parties committed to “respecting the principle of sporting merit with emphasis on long-term club sustainability and the enhancement of fan experience through the use of technology,” adding that the accord “will also serve to resolve their legal disputes related to the European Super League, once such principles are executed and implemented.”

The ESL concept was unveiled in April 2021 but collapsed within days after Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur withdrew amid fierce supporter opposition. Juventus exited in 2024 and Barcelona formally abandoned the project earlier this month, leaving Real Madrid as the sole hold-out until today’s settlement.

With the final legal obstacle removed, UEFA can now focus on consolidating its club competitions without the threat of a rival league resurfacing, while Real Madrid turn their attention back to on-pitch ambitions under the umbrella of the existing European framework.