UEFA on Thursday dismissed claims that it is holding negotiations with A22 Sports Management, the promoter of the proposed European Super League, though it acknowledged meeting the group informally.

A22 had earlier told AFP that it was “negotiating” with UEFA to create a new version of the Champions League, proposing what it described as a more open and modernized format.

“What A22 and the Super League clubs have done is propose an agreement to UEFA that essentially consists of offering a free broadcasting platform and introducing only minor changes to the current competition structure,” an A22 spokesperson said.

According to the proposal, the existing 36-team Champions League would be divided into two groups of 18 clubs, with the highest-ranked sides advancing to a round of 32 — a concept far removed from the semi-closed model that nearly split European football in 2021.

UEFA confirmed that its general secretary, Theodore Theodoridis, had met publicly with A22 co-founder Anas Laghrari, but said the discussions “produced no official results.”

“There are no plans to change the UEFA Champions League format,” the governing body stated, noting that a new structure for the competition had already taken effect in the 2024–25 season.

The latest development follows remarks from Barcelona president Joan Laporta, a long-time advocate of the Super League, who recently expressed his desire for an “agreement with UEFA” to restore harmony in European football.

At a meeting of the European Football Clubs (EFC) — formerly known as the European Club Association (ECA) — in Rome, Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who chairs the EFC, welcomed Laporta’s conciliatory tone but dismissed the Super League as a “dead project.”

“We don’t need other competitions; we already have the best competitions,” Al-Khelaifi said.