The historical drama Downton Abbey is set to return to the big screen this Christmas, it has been announced.
The original ITV series ran for six series before it was turned into a feature film in 2019, starring Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern.
It saw the central Crawley family and Downton staff receive a royal visit.
The film-makers said they were “thrilled” to welcome back the entire cast, plus fresh stars such as Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock and Dominic West.
Downton creator Julian Fellowes will return to write the screenplay for the film, which will be released in UK cinemas on 22 December.
Set on a fictional Yorkshire country estate in the early part of the 20th Century, Downton Abbey depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants.
The TV series was showered with awards from Bafta, the Emmys and the Golden Globes.
Russia has announced the expulsion of 20 Czech diplomats a day after Prague’s decision to expel 18 Russian diplomats identified as secret agents.
The foreign ministry said in a statement that the 20 employees of the Czech embassy had been declared persona non grata and must leave the country by the end of Monday.
The expulsions were unveiled after the Czech ambassador in Moscow, Vitezslav Pivonka, was been summoned by the Russian foreign ministry where he was informed of the action.
The Ministry called the Czech government’s decision to expel Russian diplomats a hostile act and added that the Czech employees were to leave Russia by the end of April 19, 2021.
On Saturday, Czech authorities said they would expel 18 Russian diplomats which local intelligence identified as secret agents of the Russian SVR and GRU security services that are suspected of involvement in a 2014 explosion.
Czech police also said they were seeking two Russians in connection with the blast that killed two people, and who carried passports used by suspects in the attempted poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Britain in 2018.
This week the United States announced sanctions and the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats in retaliation for what Washington said was the Kremlin’s US election interference, a massive cyber attack and other hostile activity.
University of Cape Town students were forced to evacuate on Sunday when A wildfire on the slopes of South Africa’s Table Mountain set several campus buildings ablaze.
Firefighters reportedly used helicopters to water-bomb the area and officials said one firefighter sustained burn wounds and was hospitalised for treatment.
The fire started early on Sunday near a memorial to politician Cecil Rhodes, located on Devil’s Peak, before spreading rapidly up the slopes with Heavy smoke which could be seen for kilometres away.
The university said in a statement that all UCT students have been evacuated from campus by emergency services support staff while some roads were closed with fire alerts being sent to mountain hikers.
Social media footage showed students milling around on the main road, amid billowing smoke fanned by strong winds.
Another video, tweeted by the local government, showed flames raging inside an old building lined with columns as smoke plumes rose from its roof.
City officials said they have not asked residents in the popular Rondesbosch suburb and surrounding area to evacuate but said the situation is being monitored and staff will go door-to-door in the event that evacuation is required.
The university, ranked among the best on the continent, is largely built on the slopes of Devil’s Peak and is situated close to where the fire started.
Cape Verde’s prime minister declared victory Sunday after near-complete results in legislative elections released overnight results showed his party on course to win.
In power since 2016, the 58-year-old head of government, Ulisses Correia e Silva had had claimed before the press his victory, stating it was a great victory, the victory of Cape Verde.
His party, the Movement for Democracy (MpD), won 36 of the 72 seats in the National Assembly, according to the results of the national electoral commission, which covered almost 98.2 percent of the polling stations.
The party, which had 40 elected members in the outgoing assembly, can expect to win at least 37 deputies, synonymous with an absolute majority, when the results of the last three diaspora seats still to be counted are known.
On the other hand, Janira Hopffer Almada’s PAICV (socialist), which has 29 seats, as in 2016, loses her bid to bring the historic left-wing formation back to power and become the first woman to head the government of the former Portuguese colony.
Acknowledging her defeat before her supporters, Hopffer Almada congratulated the outgoing prime minister and announced her forthcoming resignation from the leadership of her party, of which she had become the first woman to assume the presidency in 2014.
To boost the economy, both leading candidates have promised to provide vaccinations to a large part of the population and to diversify the country’s income.
Ulisses Correia e Silva, who has a modern, grassroots image, had the added advantage of more experience than his opponent.
Mourinho, 58, replaced Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019 but has now been dismissed after a dismal domestic campaign and failure in the Europa League.
The bombshell axing comes less than a week before Tottenham are set to take on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Jose Mourinho has been sacked as Tottenham manager just days before the Carabao Cup fina
A statement from the club read: ‘The Club can today announce that Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff Joao Sacramento, Nuno Santos, Carlos Lalin and Giovanni Cerra have been relieved of their duties.’
Chairman Daniel Levy said: ‘Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a Club.
‘Jose is a true professional who showed enormous resilience during the pandemic. On a personal level I have enjoyed working with him and regret that things have not worked out as we both had envisaged.
‘He will always be welcome here and we should like to thank him and his coaching staff for their contribution.”
The axe has been brought down on Mourinho with Tottenham set to miss out on the top four
It has been claimed that coaches Ryan Mason and Chris Powell are set to take the reins for the rest of the season.
The club confirmed that Mason, a former Tottenham midfielder, will take charge of first-team training today.
The search has now begun for a permanent successor to Mourinho, who came under heavy fire for limp displays this campaign, with an appointment likely this summer.
RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has been identified as the favourite to take over.
Tottenham have been long-term admirers of Nagelsmann, who is widely deemed as one of the most talented young coaches in world football.
It is believed Naglesmann, 33, was under consideration for the Spurs hot seat after Pochettino’s departure in 2019, although Mourinho was later handed the job.
RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has been named as the early favourite to replace Mourinho
Leipzig will not allow Nagelsmann to leave this summer, however, without receiving a compensation package worth £17million.
Former Manchester United and Real Madrid coach Mourinho’s last game in charge at Tottenham came in the 2-2 draw against Everton on Friday.
Despite Harry Kane’s late leveller at Goodison Park, the dropped points dealt a major blow to their hopes of securing a spot in the Champions League.
Tottenham are languishing in seventh place in the Premier League standings, five points adrift of fourth, and Levy has now pulled the trigger.
The cup final next weekend represents a chance for Spurs to lift silverware for the first time since their triumph in the same competition in 2008.
Daniel Levy took the decision to sack Mourinho with Tottenham struggling on multiple fronts
Mourinho will no longer be in charge for it, though, with little tangible progress made across over the last season and a half.
He could only guide Tottenham to a sixth-placed finish during his first campaign in charge, albeit after taking over half-way through.
This term has been a step back, with the north London outfit knocked out of Europe in humiliating fashion by Dinamo Zagreb and reeling from other poor results.
Mourinho’s final weeks at the helm were marred by swipes in the press and constant criticism of his own players.
France says it will impose a 10-day mandatory quarantine on those arriving from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and South Africa over concerns about variants of the coronavirus stemming from the region.
According to the office of Prime Minister Jean Castex, although flights from Argentina, Chile and South Africa will not be suspended, all arrivals from those countries will have to submit to the quarantine or face fines.
Addressing parliament as the decision was announced on Tuesday, Prime Minister Jean Castex said they had observed that the situation was worsening being the reason for suspension of all flights between Brazil and France until further notice.
The new quarantine measures which will also restrict arrivals, mainly to French citizens or residents of France and their families as well as other EU nationals, will be gradually introduced over the coming days until they are fully enforced by next Saturday.
Flights from Brazil were already suspended until at least next Friday over concerns about the so called P1 variant of the coronavirus, which is more contagious than the original strain.
Justifying the decision not to ban flights from the other three countries, officials said the other variants were not as dangerous as the one observed in Brazil.
The statement said Arrivals from French Guiana and the Antilles will also be subjected to tests before and after their flights.
Egypt’s health ministry says a train accident on Sunday which occurred north of Cairo, has killed at least 11 people and left 98 others injured, in the latest rail calamity.
In an updated toll, the ministry, said the train accident occurred in Toukh which is a small farming town in the fertile Nile Delta about 40 kilometres outside the capital.
In the meantime, dozens of ambulances were dispatched to the site, the health ministry added, and investigators have been sent to determine the accident’s cause.
In a statement Egypt’s cabinet said that four carriages of the train heading from Cairo to Mansoura, a Delta city, came off the tracks but authorities have not yet provided a reason for Sunday’s derailment.
The latest incident, comes on the heels of a deadly train crash which happened last month that left at least 20 people dead and President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has tasked the military’s engineering authority to investigate the accident.
According to security sources, the driver and other rail officials had been detained for questioning and the ministry said 14 people who sustained minor injuries have been released from a hospital close to the accident site.
At least 20 people died and 199 were injured last month in a train crash in the country’s south, according to the latest official toll, which authorities have revised several times.
Analysts say Egyptian rail disasters are generally attributed to poor infrastructure and maintenance.
Simon Richardson, the mayor of Byron Shire has joined the sea of dissenting voices, speaking against a proposed Netflix production centered on the lives of Byron Bay’s ‘influencers’.
Thousands of people have also signed a petition calling for the boycott of the Netflix show, set in the Australian beach town of Byron Bay, arguing that the town would be used as a “punch-line”for the show.
The streaming platform announced production of the the ‘docu-soap’ that will follow a feed of Instagrammers living their best lives in New South Wales’ North Coast town of Byron Bay.
The announcement gave rise to an immediate backlash among some members of the community, who called it “embarrassing” and “vacuous” including local comedian Mandy Nolan who labelled it “yuck” and said it could worsen the town’s housing affordability crisis.
Many businesses have refused to take part in the show, local media report.
The mayor says he will move a Mayoral Minute outlining the council’s opposition to the ‘Byron Baes’ production and seeking their support for production to be moved to a community that would love the exposure the show would create.
Mayor Richardson, In a post shared on Facebook recently said “I too share the concern and frustration that yet another entity from outside the shire seeks to profit from us whilst only providing more possibilities of damaging us: our reputation, our housing accessibility already on life support and our economic ‘brand’ that results in the employment of thousands of us,” .
The delightful town is known for its surf beaches and relaxed lifestyle. It has gained prominence in influencer culture and over the past year, has become a Jerusalem for visiting Hollywood celebrities.
Blessing Okagbare continues her build up to Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after running 22.66secs to finish third in the women’s 200m of the 2021 Tom Jones Memorial Invitational meet in United States.
Okagbare who represented Tumbleweed Track Club in the race finished third behind Sha’Carri Richardson and Lynna Irby who ran 22.11secs and 22.57secs to finish in first and second places respectively.
American Richardson a week after clocked 10.72secs in 100m and she continued her fine form to run 22.11 in her 200m season debut on the first day of Tom Jones Memorial Invitational at the weekend.
It is the 21-year-old’s second quickest ever time for the distance behind her PB of 22.00 set in Florida last August and saw the world U20 record-holder win the heat by almost half a second ahead of Lynna Irby with 22.57.
However, Okagbare, World and Olympic medallist was third in 22.66secsin the star-studded final.
Meanwhile, African and Commonwealth champion Akani Simbine clocked 9.99secs to win the South African 100m title in Pretoria.
“I’m glad to run another sub-10 and the key is to stay healthy,” said Simbine. “It’s another big year and I’m sticking to the main goal, which is the Tokyo Olympics.”
Olympic 400m champion and world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk returned after winning his 200m semifinal in 20.38 (-1.4m/s) to match that time to win the final (+0.1m/s), easing up on his approach to the finish line.
Six top Premier League teams have signed up to a European Super League
Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham have agreed
The moves come as a snub to UEFA following fresh Champions League plans
UEFA are set to outline a new format to their elite level competition very soon
European football’s governing body have threatened legal action for the ‘project’
The big six of English football have signed letters of intent to join a new European Super League, which is set to be announced on Sunday night.
Manchester City were the last to agree, on Saturday, joining Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham in the breakaway, which will spell the end of competition in domestic and European football as we know it.
UEFA were strong in response, revealing in a statement that they will take legal action if the ‘cynical project’ for a Super League goes ahead.
The new league represents the American takeover of elite European football, which will become a closed shop run by its founder members. It is bankrolled by US banking giant JP Morgan and is the brainchild of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and the American owners of three leading English clubs.
Manchester United and Chelsea are among a group of six Premier League teams to announce on Sunday night their intent to join a breakaway European Super League
UEFA’s Champions League is under serious threat of a breakaway league of the top teams
It is believed Perez will hold the chairman’s role in the new league’s structure, with Liverpool’s John W. Henry, Joel Glazer of Manchester United and Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke as vice-chairmen.
Andrea Agnelli, chairman of Juventus, and believed until now to be an ally of UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin will occupy the fourth vice-chairman role.
Ceferin is understood to be furious at Agnelli’s betrayal, the news of which comes less than 24 hours before UEFA’s own proposals for a revamped Champions League.
The European Club Association, which represents UEFA’s clubs released a statement going against the Super League plans.
In addition they backed continued development on revamping the Champions League, despite their chairman being Juventus chief Agnelli.
‘In light of today’s reports on the subject of a so-called breakaway league, ECA as the body representing 246 leading clubs across Europe, reiterates its stated commitment to working on developing the UEFA Club Competitions (UCCs) model with UEFA for the cycle beginning 2024 and that a ‘closed super league model’ to which media articles refer would be strongly opposed by ECA.
‘ECA would refer to the position adopted by its Executive Board at its meeting last Friday April 16, namely that it supports a commitment to work with UEFA on a renewed structure for European Club Football as a whole post 2024, including proposed changes to the UEFA Club Competitions post 2024.
‘With ECA’s support, UEFA’s Executive Committee is being asked to endorse these commitments at its meeting on April 19 along with pursing efforts to reach an agreement on the future relationship between ECA and UEFA.
‘The ECA Executive Board will be convening over the coming days to take appropriate decisions in light of any further developments.’
The plan is for the Super League to evolve to roughly 15-18 teams, but the initial 12 signatories to the deal are the six English clubs, plus Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid from Spain, and Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan from Italy. This leaves room for other major clubs, such as Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, to be picked off with UEFA’s own competitions hopelessly devalued.
PREMIER LEAGUE STATEMENT
The Premier League condemns any proposal that attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the domestic and European football pyramid.
Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best. We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.
The Premier League is proud to run a competitive and compelling football competition that has made it the most widely watched league in the world. Our success has enabled us to make an unrivalled financial contribution to the domestic football pyramid.
A European Super League will undermine the appeal of the whole game, and have a deeply damaging impact on the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs, and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.
We will work with fans, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA, as well as other stakeholders, at home and abroad, to defend the integrity and future prospects of English football in the best interests of the game.
Liverpool and Tottenham are among six English teams to have agreed to the new project
Liverpool owner John W Henry will act as one of the European Super League’s vice-chairman
The Premier League are aware of the agreement and have spent the weekend formulating their response.
In a statement on Sunday, the Premier League condemned proposals that they feel ‘attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit’.
‘Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best,’ the statement continued. ‘We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.’
Former Manchester United full-back Gary Neville, speaking in commentary during their game against Burnley, called the news an ‘absolute scandal’.
After the match he ripped into the idea describing the idea ‘as pure greed’ and the owners of the English teams as ‘imposters’ with ‘nothing to do with football in this country.
He said: ‘I’m disgusted with Manchester United and Liverpool most. I mean with Liverpool they pretend ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone,’ the people’s club. Manchester United, a 100 years born out of workers around here and they’re breaking away into a league without competition, that they can’t be relegated from?
‘It’s an absolute disgrace and we have to wrestle back the power in this country from the clubs at the top of the league. It’s pure greed, they’re impostors. The fans need protecting. I benefitted from football hugely, I’ve made money from football and invest money into a club.
Neville went on to add that the six clubs should be punished and that the owners are ‘disowning their clubs.
Manchester United legend Gary Neville described the plans as an ‘absolute disgrace’
He said: ‘They’ve got no loyalty to this country and these leagues. Enough is enough. There isn’t a football fan in this country that shouldn’t be seething listening to this. This is disowning your own club stuff, this. I mean, seriously?
‘How could you think to watch a super league when you’ve left the 14 clubs in the Premier League behind you? Your Championship clubs dead. Your EFL clubs dead, the National League, the pyramid system which we’ve fought for 150 years has gone because of six clubs?
‘It’s absolutely embarrassing and it’s never going to happen. Let them break away but honestly punish them straight away. If they announce a letter of intent has been signed as six clubs they should be punished heavily.
‘Massive fines, points deductions, takes the titles off them. Give the title to Burnley, let Fulham stay up and relegate Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
‘Yeah Chelsea and City new money in game come forward I’m not happy with them either, Tottenham I’m not that bothered about. Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal they should know better. The history and tradition that runs through those three clubs is absolutely enormous and I value it but they leave a lot to be desired at this moment in time.
‘Liverpool Football Club seriously. I don’t like them, they don’t like me. But I always thought they had integrity. But I always though that they had honesty, integrity, looked after their own. That’s gone forget that. If they sign that letter of intent they’re as bad as the rest of them.’
Sir Alex Ferguson said the proposals would be a move away from ’70 years of football history’
Manchester United’s legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson meanwhile said it would end ’70 years of football history’.
‘Talk of a Super League is a move away from 70 years of European club football. Both as a player for a provincial team Dunfermline in the 60s and as a manager at Aberdeen winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup, for a small provincial club in Scotland it was like climbing Mount Everest,’ he told Reuters.
He added: ‘Everton are spending £500 million to build a new stadium with the ambition to play in Champions League. Fans all over love the competition as it is.
‘In my time at United, we played in four Champions League finals and they were always the most special of nights.
The six clubs are not intending to resign from domestic football, but need Premier League permission to join any new competitions. This could be the first sticking point because the Premier League board is unlikely to grant any request that weakens its own competitive value.
It does not need to be put to a vote of the 20 clubs, but goes before the Premier League board comprising Gary Hoffman (chair), Richard Masters (chief executive) and Kevin Beeston (non-executive director).
If they say no to the European Super League, as expected, the clubs will have to be break away from the Premier League entirely in order to join, putting in jeopardy their players’ participation in UEFA and FIFA competitions, such as the World Cup and European Championships.
UEFA STATEMENT IN FULL
UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.
If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.
We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.
As previously announced by FIFA and the six Federations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.
We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced.
This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long.
Enough is enough.
Manchester City were the last of the six English teams to declare intent for the breakaway
GOVERNMENT STATEMENT
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: ‘Football supporters are the heartbeat of our national sport and any major decisions made should have their backing.
‘With many fans, we are concerned that this plan could create a closed shop at the very top of our national game. Sustainability, integrity and fair competition are absolutely paramount and anything that undermines this is deeply troubling and damaging for football.
‘We have a football pyramid where funds from the globally successful Premier League flow down the leagues and into local communities. I would be bitterly disappointed to see any action that destroys that.’
Yet the Premier League no longer believe this to be more brinkmanship in the battle for control of Champions League monies and make-up.
JP Morgan are believed to be debt financing the new league to the tune of £4.6billion, which is set against future broadcast revenue.
A letter sent to clubs by Premier League chief executive Masters has warned those involved to ‘walk away…before irreparable damage is done’.
It added that clubs would need Premier League permission to enter a new competition – and Masters wrote ‘I cannot envisage any scenario where such permission would be granted.’
‘Based on our understanding of the proposed European Super League concept it would sit outside the auspices of UEFA and the current European sporting pyramid, offering 15 founding members permanent access from as early as season 2022-23, rather than via the historic access principles of annual sporting merit,’ the letter read.
‘Such a European Super League would be deeply damaging to the European pyramid, and immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member clubs and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.
‘We do not and cannot support such a concept. Premier League rules contain a commitment amongst clubs to remain within the football pyramid and forbid and clubs from entering competitions beyond those listed in Rule L9, without Premier League Board permission.
News of English football’s Big Six planning to breakaway will be highly damaging for UEFA and their president Aleksander Ceferin (pictured)
PFA statement
The PFA has substantial concerns regarding the wide-ranging implications of the proposed European Super League concept.
Football should strive to preserve the sanctity of a competitive domestic league above all else. Aspiration and sporting merits are an essential part of any sport and a vital component of the game we love.
This proposed move would detract from the strength and joy of domestic football and diminish the game for the vast majority of fans across the continent.
Clubs across all domestic competitions are not equal, each having differing financial starting points. However, success is never guaranteed, often cyclical and always earned. We have seen countless examples around Europe of teams outperforming their resources. In recent years, at home in the Premier League, this has resulted in unrivalled global entertainment and sporting drama.
A system that rewards all clubs for success is paramount. In England, we are privileged to enjoy the most professional teams, the most professional players and in normal times, the highest aggregate attendances across the world. This success is achieved by working together and in solidarity.
The PFA will work with players, The FA, Premier League, EFL, LMA and through FIFPRO, with other players’ associations, to represent the game’s best interests and protect the integrity of football.
‘I cannot envisage any scenario where such permission would be granted. It is the duty of the Premier League Board to defend the integrity and the prospects of the League as a whole, and we will have no choice but to do everything we can to protect and maintain both.
‘As previously evidenced, we would expect complete condemnation from all parts of the game, fans groups and the UK Government.
‘This venture cannot be launched without English clubs and we call upon any club contemplating associating themselves or joining this venture to walk away immediately before irreparable damage is done.’
There was also a strong response from the UK Government on Sunday evening, with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden insisting that fans should have been consulted.
In a statement, he wrote: ‘Football supporters are the heartbeat of our national sport and any major decisions made should have their backing.
‘With many fans, we are concerned that this plan could create a closed shop at the very top of our national game. Sustainability, integrity and fair competition are absolutely paramount and anything that undermines this is deeply troubling and damaging for football.
‘We have a football pyramid where funds from the globally successful Premier League flow down the leagues and into local communities. I would be bitterly disappointed to see any action that destroys that.’
There was a lot of reaction to the proposals on social media, including from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
He tweeted: ‘Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action.
They would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country.
‘The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps.’
Fan groups were quick to come out and join the condemnation of the news that the Big Six are keen to join.
The Football Supporters’ Association described the European Super League as a project motivated ‘by nothing but cynical greed’.
‘This competition is being created behind our backs by billionaire club owners who have zero regard for the game’s traditions and continue to treat football as their personal fiefdom,’ the FSA statement read.
‘The FSA, and no doubt supporters across the continent, will continue to fight against its creation.’
FansEurope added in their own statement that the Super League ‘is illegitimate, irresponsible, and anti-competitive by design.’
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters wrote a letter to clubs warning them to walk away from European Super League plans before ‘irreparable damage is done’
RICHARD MASTERS’ LETTER
Dear Chairman/Chief Executive,
I am writing to inform you of what we believe to be an imminent announcement of a European Super League concept, potentially involving a number of Premier League Clubs alongside others from Spain and Italy.
Based on our understanding of the proposed European Super League concept it would sit outside the auspices of UEFA and the current European sporting pyramid, offering 15 founding members permanent access from as early as season 2022/23, rather than via the historic access principles of annual sporting merit.
The Premier League Board met this morning and I wanted to make clear its position based on the information we have at our disposal. Such a European Super League would be deeply damaging to the European pyramid, the immediate and future prospects of the Premier League and its member Clubs and all those in football who rely on our funding and solidarity to prosper.
We believe such a concept would be hugely unpopular with football fans across the continent, in particular here in England, where progress via sporting merit is central to the history and traditions of the national game and the rightful aspirations of all Clubs and their fans. We do not and cannot support such a concept.
Premier League Rules contain a commitment amongst Clubs to remain within the football pyramid and forbid any Clubs from entering competitions beyond those listed in Rule L9, without Premier League Board permission.
I cannot envisage any scenario where such permission would be granted. It is the duty of the Premier League Board to defend the integrity and future prospects of the League as a whole, and we will have no choice but to do everything we can to protect and maintain both.
The consequences of attempting to proceed with a European Super League would be the immediate destabilisation of the Premier League and the English game as a whole, at a time when it needs precisely the opposite.
This is a time when English football should be coming together as we emerge from the extraordinary challenges of the pandemic. As previously evidenced, we would expect complete condemnation from all parts of the game, fan groups and the UK Government.
This venture cannot be launched without English Clubs and we call upon any Club contemplating associating themselves or joining this venture to walk away immediately before irreparable damage is done.
A media statement will be issued on behalf of the Premier League and, should the announcement go ahead, we will call a meeting of Clubs to discuss the immediate implications and the Board’s recommended response.
Both Gary and I are available to talk you through what we reliably know at this stage.
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