Quite clearly we need to see much more detail of the proposed new competitions. At the moment it still seems very American in its organisation with a "regular season" followed byplay offs, but the ruling also pointed out that new competitions outside UEFA and FIFA had also to satisfy competition laws and this opens the door to long periods of litigation. It is also unwise to think that clubs will wish to enlist, and, in particular, there is a real danger of yet another split between the English authorities and UEFA and FIFA.
For UEFA and FIFA the ruling is clearly of massive significance. It really does mark the end of the days when UEFA could even think of telling the ECJ that the Bosman affair was a purely football matter and no business of the courts. They have been found in breach of competition law as they clearly were and their arrogant assumption that they could do as they please has been shown - yet again - to be woefully misguided. If UEFA has any sense - and it is a genuinely sizeable if - it will look at its other regulations from the perspective of competition law and restraint of trade. The PL and FA would be well advised to take heed of this ruling and the earlier one on agents fees and the rights of sport governing bodies because ALL football's governing bodies seem to be very vulnerable. I doubt they will do this because I am old enough to remember the George Eastham case of 1963 when the courts ruled that the contracts footballers had to sign were not enforceable in law and that the retain and transfer system was unlawful. Forty years later UEFA still argued that the retain and transfer system was for them to decide not the courts. Such is the terminal stupidity of UEFA ...
This shows the format and how it will work
