FIFA have issued a statement making it clear that any club or player taking part in a closed "Super League" would not be permitted to play in any competition organised by FIFA (e.g The World Cup). It is believed that this is the first time that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has formally expressed his outright opposition to such a competition.
It is likely to be at least seven years before Charlton Athletic need to be concerned about this but we are confident that, after our Premier League triumph in 2028, Thomas Sandgaard will be swift to dismiss any talk of our club slouching towards membership of such a tawdry, sterile and greedy mafia as a European Super League.
The statement reads:
"In light of recent media speculation about the creation of a closed European “Super League” by some European clubs, FIFA and the six confederations (AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA) once again would like to reiterate and strongly emphasize that such a competition would not be recognised by either FIFA or the respective confederation. Any club or player involved in such a competition would as a consequence not be allowed to participate in any competition organised by FIFA or their respective confederation.
As per the FIFA and confederations statutes, all competitions should be organised or recognised by the relevant body at their respective level, by FIFA at the global level and by the confederations at the continental level. In this respect, the confederations recognise the FIFA Club World Cup, in its current and new format, as the only worldwide club competition while FIFA recognises the club competitions organised by the confederations as the only club continental competitions.
The universal principles of sporting merit, solidarity, promotion and relegation, and subsidiarity are the foundation of the football pyramid that ensures football’s global success and are, as such, enshrined in the FIFA and confederation statutes. Football has a long and successful history thanks to these principles. Participation in global and continental competitions should always be won on the pitch."