Brussels: Soccer bodies UEFA and FIFA contravened EU law when they prevented the formation of the European Super League (ESL), the European Court of Justice said on Thursday.
The EU's top court ruled that FIFA and UEFA abused their dominant position by forbidding clubs outright to compete in a ESL, but added that the competition may still not be approved.
Sports development company A22, formed to assist in the creation of the ESL, had claimed UEFA and global soccer governing body FIFA held a monopoly position which was in breach of the EU's Competition and Free Movement Law.
"We have won the right to compete. The UEFA-monopoly is over. Football is free," said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart.
"Clubs are now free from the threat of sanction and free to determine their own futures," Reichard added in a statement.
The ruling came as the International Skating Union lost its bid to overturn an EU antitrust order that it stop penalising speed skaters for taking part in new money-spinning events.
Belgian soccer club Royal Antwerp had also challenged UEFA's rules on homegrown players, which the court said could be contrary to EU law.
The court's ruling said FIFA and UEFA must "comply with the competition rules and respect the freedoms of movement".
"Their rules on approval, control and sanctions must be held to be unjustified restrictions on the freedom to provide services," it added.
"That does not mean that a competition such as the Super League project must necessarily be approved. The Court, having been asked generally about the FIFA and UEFA rules, does not rule on that specific project in its judgment," it concluded.
