Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack believes that European football is on the brink of seismic change after judges said UEFA rules blocking the formation a future European Super League were contrary to EU law.

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice had been asked to decide whether UEFA and FIFA acted against competition law by blocking the formation of the European Super League in 2021 and then seeking to sanction the clubs involved. The court has ruled that regulations granting prior approval for new competitions were “contrary to competition law and the freedom to provide services”. The verdict is likely to spark a fresh bid for a new Super League, with many football clubs and owners braced for a totally new landscape.

Cormack, whose club Aberdeen have been participating in the Europa Conference League, took to social media not long after the news broke of the ruling to express his concerns. He feels this will the “trojan horse towards a European Super League” and stated that Scottish football has “sleep-walked” towards this future.

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack wrote his fears on social media.

“This ruling will most likely change European football forever,” Cormack wrote on X. “Replacing the 3 current European cup competitions will be approx. 60 clubs forming 3 leagues based on ranking and being guaranteed a minimum 14 European club games each season… with the only opportunity for clubs ranked 61+ being to go through qualification rounds to the enter the third league only, where there will be relegation. This will be the Trojan horse towards a European Super League and ultimately cross border leagues, because when the biggest clubs leave their National Leagues the commercial value for the remaining teams will plunge.

“Your board at Aberdeen FC has been expecting this decision for some time. Throughout our history, including this season’s group stages, the appetite for European football if anything has grown significantly. We are working with like minded clubs across Europe to make sure we do our utmost to deliver European club competition with similarly competitive clubs, the absence of which will lead to double the current gap in finances versus Celtic and Rangers, who will be included in those 60 ranked teams. As usual, in Scotland, we have slept-walked our way into this without any discussion.”

'Change football forever': SPFL chief delivers stark Super League warning and says Scotland has been asleep at wheel