Fans out to reverse Champions League reform after helping bring down European Super League

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After helping to bring down the European Super League (ESL), supporters have now turned their attentions to overturning the Champions League reforms.

A delegation of fan representatives from the six English clubs involved in the failed ESL yesterday met with UEFA president Alexsander Ceferin to discuss the fallout from the breakaway’s collapse and outline their opposition to the governing body’s proposed reforms from 2024.

Less than 24 hours after the “dirty dozen” announce the breakaway ESL last month, UEFA’s executive committee approved plans for a new “Swiss-style” Champions League format from 2024, with each team to play 10 group games against 10 different opponents and two wildcard spots for ESL-type clubs based on historic performance.

Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Association, said this morning: “We have made it absolutely crystal clear to UEFA and Aleksander Čeferin that allowing clubs to qualify for Europe based on anything other than sporting merit is completely unacceptable and fans oppose any expansion of the Champions League.

“Any format which allows clubs to compete based on prestige or historic performance is a capitulation to the same greedy owners who tried to form their breakaway European Super League. We won’t accept a bad option just because there was a worse one.

“Supporters across the continent want to see UEFA reward sporting merit, respect domestic competition, and share the wealth that football has, rather than allow the greediest owners to hoard it.

“As supporters we don’t pretend to have all the answers but we were encouraged by President Čeferin’s commitment to more engagement and consultation from UEFA before any final decision is reached. Fans must have their say in how football is run.”

The fan delegation, which was led by Football Supporters Europe, included individuals from the FSA and representatives at Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, Manchester City Official Supporters’ Club, Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, Spirit of Shankly, Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, as well as Spanish fans’ groups.

UEFA said in a statement: “With respect to the new UEFA club competitions format, Mr. Čeferin acknowledged the concerns expressed by supporters on some of its elements and stressed that it is UEFA’s responsibility to consult all stakeholders and strike the right balance across all their needs and expectations. Mr. Čeferin confirmed that fans will be invited to offer their views during the next round of consultation.”

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