European Super League explained: What is it? Which teams, FIFA, UEFA, Premier

European soccer was rocked by the biggest story in at least a generation when 12 of Europe’s biggest clubs announced plans to break away from the established soccer order and form a Super League. The development has the potential to remake the European soccer landscape dramatically, and there is still much that isn’t known about what’s ahead.

The basics? A group of 12 clubs from across Europe’s biggest leagues announced plans to form a new competition called the Super League. The league, should it be established, would offer permanent spots to some of the world’s biggest clubs and play matches midweek, while allowing the involved clubs to remain in their domestic competitions. This plan is currently opposed by FIFA and UEFA, the governing bodies for international and European soccer, respectively.

Here’s what else we do know so far.

What’s the latest news?

UEFA is threatening legal action against those 12 teams and could, in theory, ban them from future competitions. Jesper Møller, Danish FA chairman and UEFA ExCo member said to Danish outlet DR Sport that semifinalists involved in the Super League — Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man City — will be expelled from this season’s competition, along with the remaining breakaway participants, by Friday.

“[Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea] are going out, and I expect that to happen on Friday,” Møller said. “And then you have to see how to finish the Champions League.”  

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin wants to issue a ban at some point this week after meeting with his legal team, sources tell CBS Sports insider Fabrizio Romano.  

The group of 12 have responded by sending letter to FIFA and UEFA leaders, informing them that the Super League has already taken legal action to protect anyone looking to block their competition. The Associated Press obtained the following letter:

“We are concerned that FIFA and UEFA may respond to this invitation letter by seeking to take punitive measures to exclude any participating club or player from their respective competitions

“Your formal statement does, however, compel us to take protective steps to secure ourselves against such an adverse reaction, which would not only jeopardize the funding commitment under the Grant but, significantly, would be unlawful. For this reason, SLCo (Super League Company) has filed a motion before the relevant courts in order to ensure the seamless establishment and operation of the Competition in accordance with applicable laws.

“It is our duty, as SLCo’s board members, to ensure that all reasonable actions available to protect the interests of the Competition and our stakeholders are duly taken, given the irreparable damage that would be suffered if, for any reason, we were deprived of the opportunity to form promptly the Competition and distribute the proceeds of the Grant.”

Want to hear more about the Super League proposals? Listen below as Luis Miguel Echegaray and Fabrizio Romano break down a stunning 24 hours and follow ¡Qué Golazo! A Daily CBS Soccer Podcast where we take you beyond the pitch and around the globe for commentary, previews, recaps and more.

What is the Super League?

The Super League is a long-discussed idea for a closed competition that would feature Europe’s biggest clubs. Over the years, there have been many different theoretical proposals for what that league would look like. On Sunday, 12 clubs announced their intention to break away from Europe’s governing body, UEFA, and form their own league. They plan to add three more permanent members and leave five spots open in the 20-team format that European clubs could qualify for from across Europe’s domestic competitions. 

Which teams are involved?

The 12 teams currently listed as founding members:

• Arsenal (currently 9th in EPL)
• Chelsea (currently 5th in EPL)
• Liverpool (currently 6th in EPL)
• Manchester City (currently 1st in EPL)
• Manchester United (currently 2nd in EPL) 
• Tottenham Hotspur (currently 7th in EPL)
• Atletico Madrid (currently 1st in La Liga)
• Barcelona (currently 3rd in La Liga)
• Real Madrid (currently 2nd in La Liga)
• AC Milan (currently 2nd in Serie A)
• Inter Milan (currently 1st in Serie A)
• Juventus (currently 4th in Serie A)

In addition to these 12 teams, the founders expect to add three more permanent teams as well as five rotating teams per season from the rest of Europe through a qualification process.

Which notable teams are not included?

Several of Europe’s biggest teams have not officially signed onto the project. Borussia Dortmund chief executive officer Hans Joachim Watzke said his team has no intention of joining in the next couple of weeks. RB Leipzig will not join, sources tell CBS Sports insider Fabrizio Romano.

Watzke also stressed that “both German clubs on the ECA board, FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, shared exactly the same stance throughout all discussions.”

“I’m…