Barcelona has officially withdrawn from the European Super League project, leaving Real Madrid as the only remaining club still committed to the controversial breakaway league.
Barcelona announced its decision in a concise statement on its website on Saturday.
“FC Barcelona hereby announces that today it has formally notified the European Super League Company and the involved clubs of its withdrawal from the European Super League project,” the statement read.
In 2021, a total of 12 clubs, including Premier League teams Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham, signed up to create the Super League.
However, after facing significant backlash from fans, all six Premier League clubs pulled out within 72 hours of the announcement.
Juventus became the 10th club to withdraw in June 2024, but Barcelona and Real Madrid remained aligned with the project until now.
In October 2025, Barcelona president Joan Laporta indicated that the club aimed to rebuild its relationship with UEFA and rejoin the European Football Clubs (EFC), formerly known as the European Clubs Association (ECA).
Barcelona, along with the original 12 clubs, was expelled from the ECA after the Super League plans were made public. The other 10 clubs that withdrew have since been reinstated in the EFC.
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Meanwhile, Real Madrid is pursuing “substantial damages” from UEFA following a series of court rulings against the governing body’s response to the Super League initiative.
In May 2024, a Madrid commercial court ruled that UEFA and FIFA were engaging in anti-competitive practices and abusing their dominant position, a decision echoed by the European Court of Justice.
The case was initiated by A22 Sports Management, the organization behind the ESL, against UEFA, FIFA, La Liga, and the Spanish football federation (RFEF).
In response to the collapse of the ESL proposal, UEFA has revised its rules regarding new competitions.
It stated that the latest ruling from the Provincial Court of Madrid last October did “not validate” the Super League project and “does not undermine UEFA’s current authorization rules.”
