Europe’s top football clubs to form new association

Europe’s 18 richest football clubs have launched negotiations to create a new independent organisation, which would fully represent clubs’ interests with football governing bodies, the European Commission and other key stakeholders.

The G-14 group of top European football clubs’ general assembly approved, on 13 November 2007, plans to hold a conference to discuss the creation of a new independent organisation to represent them at international level. It is not yet known how many clubs would join the new entity, nor what the membership criteria are. 

The ‘exploratory conference’ on the new body will bring clubs together to consider its appropriate structure and format in January 2008. It will be “a landmark event for the future of clubs’ organisation and representation at international level,” said G-14 General Manager Thomas Kurth. 

“Our discussions with clubs have indicated clear support for an international clubs’ organisation which is independent and which can fully represent the interest of the clubs with governing bodies, the European Commission and other key stakeholders,” said Jean-Michel Aulas, G-14 president.

The G-14’s original plan was to invite 20-odd more clubs to join the current 18-member group in order to respond to criticism from UEFA and FIFA, which argue it is too elitist to be able to represent all clubs in Europe. However, faced with an “overwhelmingly positive response” by invited and non-invited clubs, the group said it needed to reconsider the original idea.  

The plans have also been finetuned following talks with UEFA, the European football governing body. UEFA welcomes the creation of a new representative body, providing it is dissociated from the current G-14. The goal is now “to create a new club group that everyone, including UEFA and public administrations, can recognise as the only organisation representing the clubs,” said G-14 vice president Ferran Soriano of FC Barcelona. 

The Commission’s White Paper on Sport, published in July 2007, calls on a more structured dialogue with law enforcement services, sport organisations and other stakeholders to strengthen co-operation on issues such as the licensing system for clubs and racism.

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