European Super League: Nine rebel clubs accept sanctions and commit their future to UEFA competitions
And as a "gesture of goodwill" the clubs will also donate £13m, to children's, youth and grassroots football clubs across Europe.
Friday 7 May 2021 20:47, UK
Nine of the football clubs who signed up to the breakaway European Super League have agreed to UEFA sanctions and committed to its international and national club competitions.
The clubs, including the six Premier League sides, have agreed to re-join the European Club Association, which is the only representative body for clubs that UEFA recognises.
In the Club Commitment Declaration, they have also accepted the Super League project was a mistake, apologised to fans, national associations, national leagues, fellow European clubs and UEFA and agreed to financial penalties.
UEFA convened an emergency panel of its executive committee, which took into consideration "the spirit and the content" of the Club Commitment Declaration and in the end, decided to approve the various actions, measures and commitments made by the nine clubs.
The clubs are Arsenal, AC Milan, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham.
The three who have not renounced the Super League - Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus - are set to face "appropriate action", UEFA said.
Twelve clubs in total announced on 18 April that they would be joining the new European Super League but so strong was the fan backlash that nine withdrew within days.
Other steps the clubs have committed to in the UEFA declaration are:
• 5% of the revenues they would have received from UEFA club competitions being withheld for one season, which will be redistributed
• Terminating their involvement in the company established to form and operate the Super League
• Making a donation of £13 million, to be used for the benefit of children, youth and grassroots football in local communities across Europe, including the UK
• Agreeing to have substantial fines imposed if they seek to play in such an unauthorised competition (£87 million) or if they breach any other commitment they have entered into in the Club Commitment Declaration (£43 million)
UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin said: "I said at the UEFA Congress two weeks ago that it takes a strong organisation to admit making a mistake especially in these days of trial by social media.
"These clubs have done just that.
"In accepting their commitments and willingness to repair the disruption they caused, UEFA wants to put this chapter behind it and move forward in a positive spirit.
"The measures announced are significant, but none of the financial penalties will be retained by UEFA. They will all be reinvested into youth and grassroots football in local communities across Europe, including the UK.
"These clubs recognised their mistakes quickly and have taken action to demonstrate their contrition and future commitment to European football.
"The same cannot be said for the clubs that remain involved in the so-called 'Super League' and UEFA will deal with those clubs subsequently."