Barcelona Quits European League

Barcelona has formally pulled out of the European Super League (ESL), ending its participation in the controversial breakaway project and leaving Real Madrid as the only club still committed to the initiative.

The reigning La Liga champions confirmed the decision in a brief statement on the club’s official website on February 7.

“FC Barcelona hereby announces that it has formally notified the European Super League Company and all participating clubs of its withdrawal from the European Super League project,” the statement read.

The ESL was first announced in 2021, with 12 top European clubs aiming to create a rival competition to the UEFA Champions League. Founding members included six English sides: Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, backlash from fans, football authorities, and political leaders forced all six English clubs to withdraw within 72 hours, marking one of modern football’s most dramatic controversies.

Juventus later became the 10th club to exit in June 2024, leaving Barcelona and Real Madrid as the final supporters of the project.

In October 2025, Barcelona president Joan Laporta revealed plans to mend relations with UEFA and rejoin the European Football Clubs (EFC), formerly the European Clubs Association (ECA). Barcelona and the other ESL clubs had been expelled from the organisation following the initial announcement, but all remaining clubs have since been reinstated.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, continue to pursue legal action over the failed project, seeking “substantial damages” from UEFA. In May 2024, a Madrid commercial court ruled that UEFA and FIFA had engaged in anti-competitive practices, echoing a prior judgment by the European Court of Justice. The case, led by A22 Sports Management, targeted UEFA, FIFA, La Liga, and the Spanish Football Federation.

UEFA has since updated its rules regarding new competition approvals, and following a Provincial Court of Madrid ruling last October, UEFA clarified that the judgment does “not validate” the ESL project, nor does it affect current authorisation regulations.