G14 Disbanded After Fifa And Uefa Agree Terms
G14, the lobbying group of Europe’s most powerful football clubs, has disbanded after governing bodies FIFA and UEFA reached a compromise agreement with the clubs over a number of issues.
G14, which consisted of 18 European clubs including Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Rangers, had consistently lobbied FIFA and UEFA over a number of issues, chief of which was the topic of compensation for clubs over players injured while turning out for their national teams.
Some clubs had even gone as far as taking legal action against FIFA and UEFA but all this will now be dropped after the governing bodies agreed to a deal to compensate clubs for players taking part in European Championships and World Cups.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter called it ‘a victory for football as a whole’, saying: ‘The clubs, which are the basic cells of our game and fundamental to its thriving, are at last to become a part of the pyramidal football organisation.’
UEFA president Michel Platini added: ‘The demands of the clubs to be heard and to be associated, also financially, are well-founded. The letter of intent is not a political step, but a logical one.’
G14 will be replaced by the European Club Association, which will have more than 100 members, including one from each of Europe’s 53 national associations.
