All 20 Premier League clubs sign new owners’ charter that ends ‘Big Six’ dominance

Exclusive:

EXCLUSIVE: The fallout from the European Super League breakaway attempt continues to be felt at Premier League level, with all 20 clubs now having an equal vote share on key decisions

Premier League clubs have all signed new owners’ charters.

The document was approved by all 20 clubs at the Premier League‘s annual general meeting. It was first proposed following the European Super League to keep the ‘Big Six’ in check and ensure another breakaway could happen again.

But the charter had to be put on hold until UEFA resolved the new look of the Champions League which will come into effect from 2024. Previous Champions League proposals included special coefficient places based on previous successes that would have been in direct contradiction to the new look. charter.

UEFA‘s proposals could have given English clubs a Champions League passport even if they finished outside the top four. But UEFA scrapped those plans, allowing Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and the two Manchester clubs to agree to the charter, which will be published shortly.

The key points of the charter are:

• EQUAL votes for all 20 clubs on key decisions
• FULLY open competition in the Premier League
• SPORTING Merit which would prevent any kind of coefficient system allowing clubs to access the Champions League based on their previous successes
• ANTI-discriminatory charter in the permanent fight against racism, sexism and homophobia

It was all agreed at the Premier League meeting in Harrogate where they also agreed a £30 cap on away tickets, a multi-million Russian TV deal was stalled and the growing problem of mob violence was also discussed.

Clubs have voted to formally introduce “outside stewards” for the coming season, designed to identify troublemakers and sporting problems. This means that if Chelsea were to play at Aston Villa, Chelsea stewards could visit Villa Park to identify troublemakers, something clubs already use for European trips.

The Premier League will also work with the FA, EFL, League Managers’ Association, police and stewards to discuss further solutions to the problem which has seen a shocking increase in violence and pitch invasions at the end of last season.

Specialist crowd spotters will also be used at every Premier League ground to identify pockets of trouble, try to weed out troublemakers quickly while promising lifetime bans for offenders.

Pitch invasions and fireworks are already illegal and the hope is that more prosecutions and strict policing will also follow.