In a significant development for European football, Spanish giants Real Madrid have announced that they have reached an agreement with UEFA and the European Football Clubs (EFC) to settle their long-running dispute over the European Super League project.
In an official statement, the club said: “UEFA, the European Football Clubs (EFC), and Real Madrid C.F. have reached an agreement for the good of European club football.”
Public Statement: UEFA, European Football Clubs and Real Madrid CF reach agreement for the good of European club football.
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 11, 2026
The deal effectively marks the end of the Super League project, which was first unveiled in 2021 with the backing of 12 major clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool. The breakaway competition was proposed as an alternative to the UEFA Champions League, with founding clubs arguing that the existing system was financially unsustainable for elite teams and had become less exciting.
However, the announcement triggered massive backlash from fans, players, football associations, and governing bodies across Europe. Under mounting pressure, most of the founding clubs quickly withdrew their support, leaving only Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus as remaining backers of the project.
Over time, Juventus exited the initiative, followed by Barcelona more recently, leaving Real Madrid as the lone original supporter. With UEFA strengthening its stance against the Super League and uniting major European clubs under the EFC umbrella, Real Madrid has now agreed to a peace framework that respects the principle of sporting merit.
The agreement also highlights a shared focus on improving the financial sustainability of football clubs and enhancing the fan experience through technological innovations.
This settlement comes amid Real Madrid’s earlier legal action against UEFA, in which the club sought more than €4.5 billion in damages related to the Super League controversy. The new agreement suggests both sides are moving forward to stabilise European club football after years of tension.