Poll suggests nearly two-thirds of UK fans now back European Super League
Supporters hold up a banner opposing the original Super League plans in 2021 (Adam Davy/PA)
Almost two-thirds of UK football fans are in favour of the creation of a European Super League, according to new research commissioned by the competition’s promoters.
Sixty-five per cent of 835 UK fans polled by French company Opinion Way were in favour or somewhat in favour of the new format put forward in December 2023, with support especially high among Manchester City and Chelsea supporters – 85 and 81 per cent respectively.
English football supporters took to the streets to protest against the creation of the original ESL in April 2021, which collapsed within 72 hours of its launch.
Chelsea fans staged a protest outside Stamford Bridge when their club helped launch the original Super League in 2021 (Ian West/PA)
However, A22 says the new research shows “substantial support” for the new formats it presented just before Christmas for a 64-team men’s competition and a 32-team women’s event.
Overall, the survey canvassed the views of 6,458 fans aged 15 and over across eight countries – France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal, as well as the UK.
Football fans were defined as “people reporting to be fairly or very interested in football”.
Across the whole group, 72 per cent were in favour or somewhat in favour of the new formats. Support was higher among the younger age groups, with 86 per cent of the 956-strong group aged 15 to 24 in favour.
The survey also looked at the responses according to the clubs the 835 UK fans said they supported; 509 fans said they were supporters of ‘Big Six’ clubs, all of whom signed up to the original Super League in 2021.
Of the 75 City supporters surveyed, 85 per cent
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