A group of leading clubs from counties including Denmark, Scotland and the Netherlands are in talks to create a new trans-European soccer league in response to recent proposals to change the format of the Champions League.
In August UEFA announced a series of changes to the Champions League from 2018, including guaranteeing a place for the top four clubs in the four top- ranked associations to leave only 16 spots for the rest of the continent.
FC Copennhagen, the current Danish league leaders, confirmed to Reuters on Thursday that talks about the formation of a new league were ongoing.
“Yes it’s true. If we do not act now, we will see the biggest clubs grow larger and stronger while it will be increasingly difficult for clubs like us.
“We must therefore look at which alternative international opportunities for FC Copenhagen in the future.
“Here it is still too early to talk about specific models, but the discussion of leagues across European borders is a theme that we look at and actively participates in.”
Horsholt suggested that teams playing in the new league might have to drop out of their domestic leagues.
BT said leading clubs from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Scotland – some of the countries most likely to suffer under the new Champions League plans – were participating in the talks.
Last week the organisation representing Europe’s domestic soccer leagues (EPFL) refused to accept UEFA’s proposed changes and said such measures could lead to a private and closed league.
The Atlantic League is seemingly marching towards inevitability – with a key figure confirming talks have taken place in the face of Champions League fears.
Clubs have acted over concerns of being frozen out of the Champions League by a Continental cartel.
Daily Record Sport in February exclusively revealed Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell had reached out to Ajax among other outfits in an attempt to fight the proposals of Europe’s elite clubs, who are attempting to drive through an invitation-only version of the competition.
Hørsholt insisted the Atlantic League will see the likes of Celtic and Rangers quit the SPFL for this new venture. It’s not yet clear if other Scottish clubs such as Aberdeen and Hearts are involved, although Danish sources believe there will be 12 to 16 teams in a league drawn from six countries.
With Europe’s biggest clubs looking to squeeze out the smaller nations and the current Champions League deal set to expire in 2021, Hørsholt insists the clubs in countries that are classed as only medium-sized in European scale have to seek an alternative.
He said: “We understand that the biggest clubs act as they do.
“But it also means that we must look at the market, it leaves and seek alliances with teams from other countries in the same situation.
“This is not a situation that we have created, but we have to deal with it, because we can not live with the alternative accounting. We must continue to develop as a club and be attractive to sponsors, the most skilled players and staff. Therefore, it is essential that we are at the European level.”
Hørsholt also insisted the only way a new European league can work is if member clubs leave their domestic set-ups.
He added: “FC Copenhagen and other European clubs that will be part of a new European league will step out of their domestic leagues. It is still well in the future, but it may well be the result.”
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