Zürcher Nachrichten - UK PM Starmer wants football governance bill passed amid Super League talk

Promoters A22 have reportedly contacted UEFA and FIFA, the governing bodies of European and world football respectively, to seek official recognition for a new competition called the Unify League.

A22's proposal is believed to feature four leagues with a total of 96 teams involved.

A previous Super League scheme launched by 12 European clubs, including six of the Premier League's biggest teams, provoked a furious response from fans and the sport's authorities in 2021, leading to its quick collapse.

And staunch Arsenal fan Starmer, 62, is keen to head off any further involvement from Premier League clubs in a potential breakaway by ensuring the swift introduction of the Football Governance Bill.

The bill will create an independent football regulator for the top five tiers of the men's game in England.

"You heard him previously say that on his watch, there will be no Super League-style breakaway from English football," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said on Wednesday.

"As part of the strengthened Football Governance Bill, the regulator will be able to prevent English clubs from joining future breakaway competitions by taking into account factors such as sustainability, heritage and fairness.

"We obviously want to see the Bill passing in Parliament as quickly as possible, such that the regulator has the powers to prevent these sorts of breakaway competitions, but also deliver the other important reforms to the English football pyramid that the Bill sets out to deliver."

A.Wyss--NZN