OFFICIAL: Real Madrid withdraws from the Super League, ending the project

Real Madrid has formally pulled out of the Super League following an agreement with UEFA, bringing an end to the divisive separatist initiative that spanned almost five years and paving the way for a new direction in European football.

Real Madrid has officially joined the list of clubs withdrawing from the European Super League project, marking an almost complete conclusion to the breakaway competition that shocked European football in 2021. This move came shortly after their domestic rival Barcelona confirmed their exit from the project as well.

The Super League was initially announced with the ambition to create a closed competition featuring 12 of Europe's top clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, along with six Premier League representatives: Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea. However, the project quickly collapsed within days due to fierce opposition from fans, domestic leagues, FIFA, and UEFA.

Real Madrid's president, Florentino Perez, was regarded as one of the chief architects behind the Super League. Although the project failed to launch, Real Madrid persistently pursued legal action, claiming that European football authorities had unlawfully obstructed the initiative.

However, nearly five years after the Super League’s inception, Real Madrid has shifted its stance. In an official announcement, the Spanish club stated they had reached a principled agreement with UEFA “for the common good of European football.”

The statement specified: “After months of dialogue focused on the best interests of European football, UEFA, the European Football Clubs (EFC), and Real Madrid have reached a principled agreement to ensure the long-term sustainable development of clubs, uphold the principles of sporting competition, and enhance fan experience through the use of technology.”

Real Madrid also affirmed that this agreement will serve as the foundation to resolve legal disputes related to the Super League, once the agreed principles are fully implemented.

With this latest decision, the Super League is almost officially concluded, making way for efforts to reform existing competitions under UEFA’s coordination.