Petition · past parliament
Force ESL signatory football club owners to sell the clubs.
Rejected
10 signatures
What the petition asks
The clubs whose owners have signed a letter of intent to join the European Super League should be instructed by parliament to sell these clubs as their continuing ownership is not in the national interest.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are clubs with rich histories in the English national sport. Those histories cannot be allowed to amount to nothing by uprooting the clubs from the league system to which they belong whilst crippling the clubs remaining in the football pyramid. The ownerships of these clubs are certainly not acting in the interests of the fans to whom they truly answer. Football is for the fans, not the funds.
Why it was rejected
The UK Government or Parliament was already taking the action it asked for.
On Monday 19 April the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden MP said that he was appalled by the announcement that a handful of clubs are proposing to form their own breakaway European league, and said the Government would not hesitate to protect one of our greatest national institutions: football. The Culture Secretary said that the Government would back the football authorities to stop this move, and if the football authorities couldn’t act, the Government would. The Culture Secretary said the Government would "put everything on the table to prevent this from happening."
You can read the Culture Secretary's full statement on the European Super League here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/statement-by-oliver-dowden-on-the-european-super-league
Since you started your petition it has also been announced that all six Premier League teams that were initially involved in the European Super League have withdrawn. You can read a report of this news here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56823501
Further, on 19 April the Government announced a 'Fan-led review of football governance', which will explore ways of improving the governance, ownership and financial sustainability of clubs in English football, building on the strengths of the football pyramid. You can read more about this review here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fan-led-review-of-football-governance
You may like to sign this petition which calls for a related action:
'Enforce the “50+1” Rule for professional football club ownership in the UK': Enforce the “50+1” Rule for professional football club ownership in the UK
You can read the Culture Secretary's full statement on the European Super League here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/statement-by-oliver-dowden-on-the-european-super-league
Since you started your petition it has also been announced that all six Premier League teams that were initially involved in the European Super League have withdrawn. You can read a report of this news here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56823501
Further, on 19 April the Government announced a 'Fan-led review of football governance', which will explore ways of improving the governance, ownership and financial sustainability of clubs in English football, building on the strengths of the football pyramid. You can read more about this review here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fan-led-review-of-football-governance
You may like to sign this petition which calls for a related action:
'Enforce the “50+1” Rule for professional football club ownership in the UK': Enforce the “50+1” Rule for professional football club ownership in the UK
Timeline
| 19 Apr 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 29 Apr 2021 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
10
Status
Rejected
Rejected
29 Apr 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.