Match Calendar: "National leagues, must remain the cornerstone of European football" (UEC)

"At the UEC, we believe that European football's core strength lies in its national leagues, which must remain the cornerstone of the sport. Domestic competitions are the primary stage where clubs of all sizes and their players compete, develop, and thrive. Reducing their prominence to prioritise a handful of elite clubs will only deepen the financial and competitive divide within European football, further undermining sporting merit," said the Union des Clubs Européens / Union of European Clubs on 12/12/2024.

The UEC reacted "with deep concern" to comments made by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, chairman of the ECA, in an interview with the Spanish daily MARCA. "In response to a question about the new ECA-backed Club World Cup, Mr. Al-Khelaifi said that '20-team national leagues' and other domestic tournaments are somehow 'increasing' players' workload. His remarks follow a familiar pattern: framing national leagues as the problem to justify creating more space in the international calendar for elite clubs to play exclusive tournaments among themselves."

"We've read this script before. Nasser…