European Super League Format: Inside Look at How It Works, Promotion, Relegation After ECJ Ruling

• FIFA and UEFA suffered a blow after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of the Super League
• The competition received backlash when it was initially created in April 2021 with six founding teams
• Sports Brief looks at how the proposed model will work with organisers introducing women's football

The European Court of Justice delivered a bombshell on December 21 when it ruled that football governing bodies like FIFA and UEFA had no authority to ban new proposed interclub competitions such as the Super League.

A22, the company behind the controversial idea, had filed a case against the two football governing bodies, claiming the two had flouted competition laws by blocking the creation of the new competition.

The court sided with them, with a part of the ruling on their website reading:

Amazing! The top 10 Everton legends of all time are now revealed

Football

"The FIFA and UEFA rules making any new interclub football project subject to their approval, such as the Super League, and prohibiting players from playing in those competitions, are unlawful."

The ruling has now reignited debate on whether the organisers will move on with their plans to establish the new competition. Several clubs have already rejected the proposal publicly.

European Super League format

A22 revealed that the competition will be run in three categories: Star, Gold, and Blue, while the women's side will be separated into two divisions: Star and Gold.

Men's group stage

The competition will have 64 teams divided into three categories: Star (16), Gold (16), and Blue (32). The teams in the first two categories will be placed into two groups of eight teams each. The Blue team will also have four groups of eight teams each.

Each team will play a maximum of 14 games in the group stage - seven home and seven away.

Lakers vs Celtics: Which is the greatest NBA franchise?

NBA

Women's group stage

This will have 32 teams divided into two categories: Star (16) and Gold (16). Like on the men's side, each category will be further subdivided into two groups of eight teams, each playing 14 games.

Knockout stage

After group-stage action, the top four teams in every group of the Star and Gold categories (both men's and women's) proceed to the quarter-final stage.

The Blue category in the men's division will have the top two teams from every group qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The knockout stages will be a double-legged affair except the final, which will be played in a neutral location. At the end of the process, winners of the Star, Gold, and Blue categories will be crowned.

Promotion and relegation

The two clubs that finish at the bottom of the Star League will be released to the Gold League as the two finalists in the Gold League take their position in their top-tier section.

FIFA men's ranking: Top 20 national teams heading to the World Cup

Football

The same process applies to the promotion and relegation to the Gold League and Blue League, respectively. The catch, however, is that 20 of the 32 teams will leave the competition every season depending on their performance in the domestic leagues.

A22 intends to have the matches broadcast 'free-to-air' to fans.

UEFA reacts to ruling on Super League

Sports Brief also previously reported that UEFA said Thursday's ruling by Europe's top court 'did not signify an endorsement or validation' of the breakaway competition.

UEFA said the ruling instead underscored a pre-existing shortfall within its pre-authorisation framework, a technical aspect both acknowledged and addressed in June 2022.