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Two weeks ago, six Premier League sides including Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal, and Chelsea sought to form a breakaway closed Super League that would have instantly devalued the Premier League and done irreparable harm to the English league system.
Their efforts failed, with the owners seemingly unprepared for the swift and vociferous backlash that followed—a backlash that continues, with fans protesting Arsenal and Manchester United in particular and now the Premier League looking to take concrete steps to prevent anything like a super league happening in the future.
“The events of the last two weeks have challenged the foundations and resolve of English football,” read a statement from the league. “The Premier League has prepared a series of measures to enshrine the core principles of the professional game: an open pyramid, progression through sporting merit, and the highest standards of sporting integrity.
“These measures are designed to stop the threat of breakaway leagues in the future. Opposition to the proposed Super League united the whole of football, with the fans’ voice clearly heard. The Premier League recognises the strength of feeling and the right of fans to know what is happening.
“The actions of a few clubs cannot be allowed to create such division and disruption. We are determined to establish the truth of what happened and hold those clubs accountable for their decisions and actions. We and The FA are pursuing these objectives quickly and appropriately, consulting with fans, and Government.”
Specifically, a new owners’ charter for the Premier League will now be written setting out heavy sanctions—financial and otherwise—for any club found to be in breach of it. Clubs will be required to sign the charter in order to compete in the league moving forward, and failing to do so would risk expulsion.