EPFL and UEFA close in on peace deal over Euro club competitions

By Andrew Warshaw

May 31 – The head of  the umbrella body for Europe’s top leagues has hinted that a long-running dispute with UEFA over controversial changes to the Champions League may be on the verge of being resolved.

The European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) have scheduled their first ever extraordinary general meeting in Geneva next week but have stopped short of saying what action, if any, will be taken if their calls for a greater say in the decision-making process are not met.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the EPFL and UEFA expired in March and EPFL chairman Lars-Christer Olsson (pictured), himself a former UEFA chief executive, said at the time that the two sides were still some way off forging a new agreement.

But Olsson told Insideworldfootball that talks over the last few weeks had been “very positive” and that relations are improving.

Under the 2018-21 cycle, more Champions League group stage places will be set aside for teams from the top four leagues and fewer for clubs from smaller leagues.

The EPFL, which represents 32 leagues, has already warned that if its needs are not met, it will support domestic matches going head-to-head with UEFA club competitions, a scenario that could have wide ranging repercussions in terms of viewing figures and broadcast rights fees for the European club competitions.

Olsson declined to say what concessions, if any, might be made by UEFA ahead of next Tuesday’s summit and admitted that discussions over the EPFL’s demands to have a voice on the UEFA executive committee “have not yet been finalised.”

But, he said, the talks should finish before Tuesday’s general assembly. “There is only one issue on the agenda, our future co-operation with UEFA. We would not have called our members together for an extraordinary assembly if it was not extremely important for the development of professional club football in football.”

Asked whether a new MoU had been agreed, Olsson replied: “That’s exactly what we are discussing.”

Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1711651614labto1711651614ofdlr1711651614owedi1711651614sni@w1711651614ahsra1711651614w.wer1711651614dna1711651614