"Real" demands 80 million euros from English clubs over Super League collapse

Real Madrid presented financial claims to English clubs-abandoned Super League

Real Madrid have officially demanded that six Premier League clubs, which withdrew from the European Super League project shortly after its announcement, reimburse part of the cost of creating the tournament. The corresponding confirmation of the Spanish Grand provided Reuters on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The leadership of the Royal club has put forward a tough ultimatum to the teams, which, according to Madrid, are evading their financial obligations.

According to The Athletic, the total cost of organizing and promoting the failed competition can reach eighty million euros. Real are pushing to pay their share from Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. These six teams were among nine of the twelve founding clubs that dropped out just three days after its official launch in 2021. The decision to withdraw was made against the background of mass discontent of fans, criticism from the football authorities and widespread public outcry.

At the moment, the club did not specify whether similar financial requirements apply to three other teams who left the project ahead of schedule: Italian Milan and Inter, as well as Spanish Atletico Madrid. In an official statement, Real Madrid stressed that six English participants are responsible for covering the organisational costs, since so far all costs have been borne solely by Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Tottenham declined to comment on the situation and the remaining five Premier League clubs did not respond to Reuters requests at the time of publication. All participants initially signed a shareholder agreement with the European Super League Company, the holding structure of the tournament. However, it remains unclear whether the contract contained an explicit clause on the obligation to cover the constituent costs in the event of withdrawal.

The history of the Super League has developed rapidly and the same rapid final. The tournament ceased to exist almost immediately after the launch, when nine clubs announced their withdrawal. Subsequently, Juventus withdrew from the project, and Barcelona officially refused to participate in February of this year, leaving Real Madrid as the only founding club that continues to advocate the idea of reforming European football.

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On February eleven, Real Madrid, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and a number of European clubs announced an agreement in principle aimed at resolving legal disputes around the Super League. However, the mechanism of real recovery of funds from English clubs remains in question. Experts note that if the Premier League teams refuse to comply with the requirements of Madrid, Real Madrid may not have effective leverage. Most likely, the enforcement of debt will require recourse not to sports arbitration, but to ordinary civil courts or arbitration proceedings, which will make the process lengthy and complex.