EPFL terminates agreement with UEFA

The European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) have voted to terminate their Memorandum of Understanding with UEFA which prohibited the broadcasting of domestic matches at the same time as Champions League fixtures.

Their decision was announced in a statement on Friday, which claimed decisions made by European football’s governing body gave the EPFL “no other option” than to tear up their agreement.

UEFA announced reforms in August which guaranteed each of the top four leagues four automatic qualification spots, revoked the 11th and 12th-ranked leagues’ right to one automatic qualifier and altered the distribution of prize money, favouring clubs who have historically enjoyed more success.

Further to that, UEFA also opted to cut the number of reserved places for the remainder of the smaller European leagues – who qualify through knockout play-off rounds – from five to four, with all the new legislation set to take effect for the 2018-19 season.

With the EPFL required to serve a period of notice, the MoU will come to an end in March 2017, leaving time for the two parties to negotiate a new agreement.

Their statement read: “The EPFL is of the opinion that the cooperation with UEFA for the development of European professional club football is essential.

“However, the UEFA Executive Committee’s recent decision related to European club competitions leaves the EPFL with no other option than to terminate the current Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.”

Italy’s Serie A was the only league of the 23 represented by the EPFL’s general assembly to go against the vote.