KNVB statement on Super League

The KNVB doesn’t support the plans for a Super League. - Foto: KNVB Media

For the last couple of decades in European football a model has emerged that is based on sportsmanship and financial solidarity. Thanks to the first aspect, clubs that perform well are able to flow from national competition through to the top of Europe. Because of the second aspect, clubs that do not participate in European competitions aren’t able to financially profit from successes achieved by peer clubs from their national league. This also ensures a certain level of competitiveness and actractiveness for national competitions.

The KNVB is in favour of this European model and doesn’t support the plans for a Super League. These plans - designed by a couple of European clubs - will produce a topleague with a closed character, which will mean the end of sportsmanship and financial solidarity. Recently the European comittee published a study about the European sportsmodel. This shows that preserving the European sportsmodel against the entering of a possible Super League is an urgent matter, both on European and national level.

To ensure a bright future for European football we always have to look for and be open to new chances, but this can never happen at the expense of national competitions. There are options availabe, like the Swiss format, in which more different opponents will face eachother during the group stage. UEFA also has an open mind towards this development. To support this idea they have chosen for an innovative design for the European club competitions for the season 2024-2025. The KNVB supports both ideas, because these two do embody the two aspects that made European football as big as we know it today.