Barcelona Withdraws from European Super League, Leaving Real Madrid Furious
Barcelona has officially announced its withdrawal from the European Super League, a move that effectively leaves the controversial breakaway football competition in tatters. The decision isolates bitter rivals Real Madrid as the only club still backing the project, sparking reported fury within the Madrid camp.
Formal Notification and Project Collapse
In a statement released on February 7, 2026, Barcelona declared: "FC Barcelona hereby announces that today it has formally notified the European Super League Company and the clubs involved of its withdrawal from the European Super League project." This action represents a significant reversal for the club, whose president, Joan Laporta, had been a vocal proponent of the league.
The withdrawal is widely seen as the death knell for the Super League, which has struggled to gain traction since its initial announcement in April 2021. Originally, twelve elite clubs from England, Spain, and Italy supported the breakaway from UEFA's established competitions.
Rapid Exodus of Support
The project faced immediate and fierce backlash from fans, leading to a swift collapse of support:
- Premier League Clubs: Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Chelsea all withdrew within 72 hours of the announcement.
- Spanish and Italian Clubs: Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan soon followed suit.
- Juventus: The Italian giant joined the exodus in June 2024, leaving only Barcelona and Real Madrid as remaining backers.
This mass departure left the Madrid-based company A22, which has been leading legal efforts against UEFA to establish the league, with dwindling allies. Despite numerous rebrands—from an initial 12-team format to proposals for 64 or 96 clubs across multiple divisions—the Super League failed to secure broad support.
Legal Battles and Unclear Vision
A22 has persistently pursued legal avenues to revive the project, even demanding UEFA's approval within eight weeks in November 2025. However, Barcelona's withdrawal undermines these efforts significantly. The lack of a clear direction has also plagued the Super League, as evidenced by Laporta's vague comments in 2024, where he speculated about including teams from Italy, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium in a 16-team competition.
He told Catalan radio station RAC1: "In addition to Barca and Madrid, there would be the Italians: Inter, Milan, Napoli and Roma. Also French teams such as Marseille, and the three Portuguese, Sporting, Benfica and Porto, who would be delighted to come. And there are the Dutch teams [Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV] and Bruges and Anderlecht from Belgium. A 16-team competition would be better."
This envisioned groundswell of support never materialized, and Barcelona has now opted to cut its losses, dealing a final blow to the embattled project.
