The investigation stems from a complaint by A22, the company behind the European Super League project, which claims UEFA illegally blocked rival competitions.
The National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC), Spain’s top antitrust regulator, has officially launched an investigation into UEFA for allegedly restricting competition in European football. The move comes after a formal complaint filed by A22 Sports Management, the company behind the proposed European Super League project backed by clubs including Real Madrid.
According to the CNMC, the focus of the investigation is whether UEFA violated EU competition laws by entering into agreements with nine football clubs to prevent them from organizing or joining any continental competitions outside UEFA’s control. This agreement reportedly followed UEFA’s threats of sanctions, including possible bans from its competitions, aimed at discouraging clubs from supporting rival tournaments such as the Super League.
The CNMC now has a maximum period of 24 months to complete its investigation and determine whether UEFA’s conduct breached European regulations that promote fair market competition.
A22 welcomed the development, stating:
“We note the CNMC’s decision to investigate UEFA for restricting competition by carrying out actions that harmed the 2021 European Super League project. This is a timely action and consistent with the December 2023 judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) which found UEFA and FIFA infringed European competition law. This judgment confirmed that independent promoters like A22 have the full right to create and organize pan-European club football competitions.”
