Unify League: Format, teams, launch date, reaction and more

Organisers of the controversial European Super League have unveiled a new competition, the Unify League.

Following widespread condemnation, the proposed European Super League collapsed within 72 hours of it being first announced in 2021 but the competition's organisers, A22 Sports Management, have returned with updated plans for a new men's league which consists of four tiers.

The new Unify League will implement a system where clubs qualify for the competition based on their annual domestic performance.

Should authorisation be granted by UEFA, clubs are likely to be given a choice of competing in UEFA's existing European tournaments or the Unify League.

Here's everything you need to know about the 'Unify League'.

Unify League format

The proposed competition would see a total of 96 European clubs participate each year.

Teams that take part are determined by their performances in domestic competitions from the previous season, instead of the closed-shop model that was previously floated with the launch of the European Super League in 2021.

There would be four leagues: Star, Gold, Blue and Union.

The top two divisions, Star and Gold, would each consist of 16 teams split into two groups of eight. Each team will play every other opponent in their group home and away, resulting in a minimum of 14 matches per club each campaign.

Those that finish in the top four of their respective groups of the Star and Gold leagues will qualify for the quarter-finals, which are to be two-legged ties. The semi-final and finals will be a single tie in neutral venues conducted in the space of a week.

Blue and Union will feature 32 teams each and they're split into four pools of eight. Only the top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stages.

The winners of each respective knockout stage will be crowned Star, Gold, Blue or Union champions.

There is no promotion or relegation.

Unify League teams

While no club have officially declared their interest in participating in the Unify League, Real Madrid are understood to favour the concept.

In light of the CJEU ruling in relation to EU Competition Law in December 2023, no club can be threatened with punishment if they were to enter discussions with A22 regarding potential involvement in the competition.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United and Manchester City – who were all involved in the failed 2021 breakaway – would be permitted to join this time without the £25m fine and 30-point deduction that the ­Premier League had agreed to impose for any future attempt.

All six, however, did state they had no intention of participating in any future A22 schemes.

In terms of qualification, the Premier League would have three guaranteed entrants into the Star League, the top division. A further two slots are awarded to the Premier League in the Gold League, while as many as five English clubs could be spread across Blue and Union.

Unify League launch date

While no official date has been finalised, it's been widely-reported that A22 are targeting a competition launch date of September 2026.

The league stage of Unify League would take place between September and April, with the knockout phase to commence immediately after.

Unify League reaction

While the Unify League hasn't been greeted with the same vilification as the European Super League, there is great scepticism as to whether the competition would be able to make an imprint on European football.

A forthright statement from La Liga read: “Once again, A22 has presented yet another model of the failed European Super League. The project continues to lack support from clubs, federations, players, fans, national governments and European institutions.”

The Spanish league's response was further critical of the Unify League by stating it "threatens the governance of European football".

The Unify League was also described as "poorly constructed and poorly conceived" by Alex Muzio, owner of Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise and the president of the Union of European Clubs.