A Spanish judge on Tuesday issued a preliminary ruling stopping FIFA and UEFA from taking any immediate action or making statements against the Super League.
The ruling, from a mercantile court in Madrid, said the soccer governing bodies must refrain from “directly or indirectly” hindering the creation of the breakaway league.
Judge Manuel Ruiz de Lara ordered FIFA and UEFA to “refrain from taking any measure or action, or from issuing any statement, which prevents or hinders, directly or indirectly, the preparation of the European Super League.”
The ruling, made after a request by the Super League, said FIFA, UEFA and its members — including federations, clubs and domestic leagues — can’t threaten or sanction players and teams in the new competition.
The new league has attracted widespread criticism in the soccer world, and UEFA threatened to ban players from the participating teams from playing in the European Championship and next year’s World Cup.
The ruling tells FIFA and UEFA not to “exclude” Super League clubs and players from “any international or national competitions” in which they have already been regularly participating or have the right to participate.
The judge’s order prohibits FIFA, UEFA and their members from “announcing, threatening to announce or adopting any disciplinary measures” against “clubs or its officials or players” participating “in the preparation” of the Super League.
It warned FIFA and UEFA to “instruct” their members to follow the measures ordered by the court.
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez will be the chairman of the controversial breakaway league, which has 11 other founding teams, including fellow Spanish clubs Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.