Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham have followed Chelsea and Manchester City in pulling out from the proposed Super League.
City were the first Premier League side to confirm they were pulling out of the breakaway competition.
The Premier League leaders said in a statement on Tuesday evening: “Manchester City Football Club can confirm that it has formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League.”
Chelsea, whose fans protested against the planned breakaway league outside Stamford Bridge ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League match against Brighton, are understood to have changed their mind because of the overwhelming negative worldwide reaction.
According to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol, the “totally negative reaction to ESL plans was in danger of totally overshadowing all the good work the club does in the community.
“Chelsea made a last-minute decision last week to join the ESL. They now regret the decision and accept it was a mistake. They felt they had to ‘jump on the train because it was leaving the station’. Turned out it was a train to nowhere.”
The competition’s announcement on Sunday, made by 12 founding clubs – including Manchester United, City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham from the Premier League – was met with widespread criticism.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to “thwart” the competition, likening it to a “cartel”, while the other 14 Premier League clubs rejected the proposal and UEFA threatened potential sanctions on the rebel group.
Sky Sports
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