SUPER GREED

A new version of the breakaway super league has been launched.

MORE than three years after the original idea crashed and burned in the space of 48 hours after a fan-led backlash, scheme promoters A22 have returned with a concept that answers many of the initial problems.

Under the new model, named “The Unify League”, 96 teams in total would take part.

There would be 16 teams, split into two groups of eight and playing each opponent home and away, in both the top tier Star League and the secondary Gold League.

Then two further competitions — Blue and Union — would each have FOUR leagues of eight clubs.

The Premier League would have three guaranteed entrants in the elite competition, with two places in the second one and up to five further slots across the remaining pair.

Unlike the first and widely criticised Super League concept, which saw the 12 breakaway rebels — including the Prem Big Six — guaranteed entry, all positions will be earned by domestic performances in the previous campaign.

Two places in the Star League, and seven in Gold, will be earned through a series of play-off rounds, with the winners of the two competitions earning automatic places in the top tier for the following season.

A22 envisages the 14 league phase games being played between September and April.

The top four in each group would then reach a two-legged quarter-final stage, with the winners progressing to a “final four” week of one-off matches to provide the winners.

While no formal start date has been set, SunSport understands that there is a provisional target of competition launch in September 2026.

The prize fund is also yet to be confirmed but A22 — which is firmly linked to the ambitions of Real Madrid President Florentino Perez — promise £330m in “solidarity” payments to smaller clubs and countries while the total prize pot is expected to exceed the current fund of £2bn for the Champions League and £700m for the Europa and Conference Leagues combined.

The new overall title of the four competitions is a nod to the plan to show matches on a direct-to-fan streaming service called the Unify platform.

While fans will have to sign up, there will be two versions available – an advertisement-supported free portal to watch games plus a subscription service with extra features.

A22 said it will “dramatically improve the viewing experience at home by eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions while offering fans the advanced features they have come to expect and directly connect clubs with their global fanbase”.

The launch comes as A22 said it had made a formal submission to Uefa and Fifa to “obtain official recognition for its new cross-border European club football competitions”.

The Madrid-based company cited the December 2023 ruling of the European Court of Justice which stated that “any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established” — Sun.