European Super League CEO Bernd Reichart: Project Is 'Very Much Alive,' Eyeing 2025

Bernd Reichart, the new CEO of A22 Sports Management, said his company will attempt to relaunch the European Super League during the 2024-25 season.

Reichart explained Wednesday on the Spanish radio show El Larguero (via ESPN's Adriana Garcia) the league faces a "long journey" amid legal challenges, but there's still a commitment to move forward with the idea after a failed attempt in April 2021.

"It's very much alive. There are some who want to declare that it is dead, but if they say it a lot, there is much to suspect," Reichart said. "There are clubs in Europe that surely share the vision of Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona, and now they have the opportunity to share what they think. There is a broad consensus that football needs reform. Football cannot continue as it is designed now."

The Super League proposal featured 12 full-time clubs—AC Milan, Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur—along with eight spots up for qualification each season.

It received immediate backlash from FIFA, UEFA, uninvolved clubs and fans, most of which stemmed from the idea it was an idea to help the sports rich get even richer.

The six Premier League clubs quickly backed out amid the criticism, causing the idea to get put on hold just two days after the initial announcement.

Now, 18 months later, Reichart confirmed the renewed plans include no full-time spots for high-profile teams, per Garcia.

"The concept of a fixed [guaranteed] placement is not something that we are currently considering," he said. "Sporting merit will be applied to all members of that Super League."

Reichart also noted the idea of potentially playing weekend matches has also been dropped in favor of more traditional midweek fixtures for European competitions, similar to the UEFA Champions League.

"The Super League has never been intended to harm the domestic leagues, or the calendar, but we are talking about European competition during the week, yes," he said.

In June, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin declared the Super League idea is "dead because nobody wants to participate" and defended the sport's European governing body.

"I will say that UEFA is not a monopoly," Ceferin told Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Marca's Diego Zarazua). "You are free to be in it or not. You can participate in our cups or organize your own. But then, it's logical that you don't play in ours, isn't it?"

While Barca, Juve and Real Madrid have remained committed to the Super League project, questions remain about whether Premier League clubs would participate given the fierce opposition they faced during the first attempt.

Reichart said the Super League will "extend its hands to all members of European football," including those from England's top division.

The European Union's Court of Justice heard arguments from Super League representatives in July about UEFA being a "monopolistic entity."

A ruling in the case, which could come in early 2023, will likely have a significant impact on whether the Super League has future viability in the European club space.