Unify League proposes cross-border European football competition with free streaming platform

Updated plans for a new football competition with a free ad-supported streaming service have been revealed by the organisers of the original European Super League.

The Unify League has been proposed by A22 Sports Management, the company that was behind the European Super League (ESL) which collapsed days after it was unveiled back in April 2021.

In plans revealed earlier this week, A22 said the qualification system for its modified league setup would now be based on annual domestic league performance, with the name “Unify League” chosen to “emphasise value of streaming platform that shows live matches for free”.

A22 chief executive Bernd Reichart said that “extensive engagement with key stakeholders revealed a number of pressing challenges facing the sport including increasing subscription costs for fans, an overloaded player calendar, insufficient investment in women’s football, and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of the current pan-European competitions”.

At the heart of its proposal is the Unify platform, a direct-to-fan streaming service announced in December 2023 that will host all live matches.

A22 said that Unify will offer both free, ad-supported viewing of matches as well as subscriptions, “eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions while offering fans the advanced features they have come to expect”.

In addition to live matches, the proposed platform will offer highlights, match insights and analysis, club-specific content, and “many other” interactive options.

All men’s and women’s league matches would be distributed via the platform which will offer a tiered model.

The advertising-supported free tier will allow fans to watch live new Unify League matches for free. Subscription tiers would also be offered for those who prefer to view matches with minimal advertising while enjoying advanced features such as favourite camera angles, live match data and other interactive options, A22 said.

Distribution partnerships with broadcasters, streaming services, clubs and content providers are also included in the plans.

Revised qualification system

A proposal has now been submitted to UEFA and FIFA to obtain official recognition for its new cross-border European club football competitions.

A22 said that under the December 2023 ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”), any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established.

The revised qualification system in which club participation is based on annual, domestic league performance is “fully aligned” with the UEFA definition of the ‘European Sports Model’, A22 said.