Sports · Football · 3 hrs ago
Real Madrid seeks startup costs from six English clubs over Super League
Real Madrid is seeking startup costs from six English clubs that joined its proposed European Super League.
The clubs are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham, all from the Premier League.
They withdrew soon after the plan was announced in April 2021, and the competition was never held.
Real Madrid says the clubs remain responsible for a share of the initial costs under an agreement signed by the founders.
Those costs could total up to €80 million, though the amount the six clubs might owe is not specified.
The dispute turns on whether the agreement created payment obligations as well as a commitment to jointly own and run the competition.
If the clubs do not agree, Real Madrid may have to take the dispute to court, and a resolution is not expected quickly.
Real Madrid is seeking a share of the startup costs of the abandoned European Super League from six English clubs, according to reports by The Athletic cited by Spanish outlets.
The clubs are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham.
A source cited by The Athletic put the total costs at up to €80 million.
The English clubs withdrew shortly after the project was announced in April 2021.
Whether the clubs are contractually required to pay remains disputed and could be decided in court.
- Who
- Real Madrid is seeking payment from Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham.
- What
- It wants the six clubs to cover a share of the Super League’s startup costs, which a source estimated at up to €80 million in total.
- When
- The claim was reported on October 20, 2026. The clubs joined the project in 2021 and withdrew shortly after its announcement.
- Where
- The dispute concerns the European Super League project, managed by a company based in Spain.
- Why
- Real Madrid says the clubs remain responsible for part of the costs under their agreements. The contractual interpretation is unresolved.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Twelve clubs officially launched the European Super League project.
Nine of the founding clubs withdrew, including the six English clubs.
The Juventus Court of Justice of the European Union ruling was described by SPORT as favorable to the project.
Real Madrid and A22 reportedly made a claim of about €4.5 billion against UEFA.
Real Madrid announced an agreement in principle with UEFA and the European Football Clubs to resolve legal disputes related to the Super League.
Spanish outlets reported that Real Madrid was seeking a share of startup costs from the six English clubs.
- Clubs asked to pay
- Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham
- Estimated total startup costs
- Up to €80 million
- Project launch
- April 19, 2021
- Founding clubs
- 12
- Project management company
- European Super League Company, based in Spain
- Claim against UEFA
- About €4.5 billion, reportedly made by Real Madrid and A22 in October 2025
3 sources
What people are saying
I am not going to waste time explaining here what a binding contract is. But the truth is that the clubs cannot leave.