Premier League giants Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly in talks to discuss their participation in a potential FIFA-backed tournament that would include elite European clubs. The tournament, which would dramatically reshape football across the continent, would be known as the “European Premier League”.
According to NBC Sports, investment banking company JP Morgan is expected to fork out a $6 billion financial contribution to kick start this tournament. It is furthermore believed that up to 18 European teams could potentially sign up for this tournament.
In addition to Liverpool and Man Utd, several other Premier League sides are also expected to explore the prospect of joining this competition, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur. Up to five Premier League teams could be featured in the new contest.
This competition will have a similar structure to the UEFA Champions League, whereby a league format will be played after which the top-ranked teams will face off in a knockout phase. Prize money is expected to be worth in the hundreds of millions of pounds each year.
One industry figure stated that plans for the prospective tournament may be announced as soon as the end of this month. There are, however, several key aspects that are yet to be finalized, such as the confirmed list of teams expected to compete.
