The Ownership and Control of Elite Club Competition in European Football

Abstract

This essay analyzes the changing nature of governance in European football. Looking specifically at the control of elite European club competition, it argues that in the context of wider environmental transformation, traditional hierarchical modes of governance are being replaced by a stakeholder network in which the elite clubs are becoming increasingly influential. Consequently, the European governing body, UEFA, is under pressure to both integrate the most influential stakeholders into its decision‐making procedures, and relinquish its control of elite club competition. The leverage of stakeholders is assessed, and it is argued that whilst the professional game will continue to pose challenges to the established bodies, the integrated nature of football governance means that change is likely to be evolutionary, rather than radical, and that the football associations of Europe will continue to play an important role in the organization of professional football in Europe.