FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he isn’t interested in the prospect of a potential European Premier League.
A Sky News report revealed a £4.6 billion ($6bn) package being put together to potentially replace the Champions League with a new league tournament for Europe’s biggest clubs.
While UEFA is firmly against the reported proposal, FIFA is said to be supportive of the idea – but president Infantino refused to confirm either his support or opposition.
"As FIFA president, I'm interested in the Club World Cup, not the Super League," Infantino told reporters in Switzerland.
"For me, it's not about Bayern Munich against Liverpool, but Bayern against Boca Juniors.
"Liverpool have 180 million fans worldwide. Flamengo have 40 million fans and 39 million of them are in Brazil. Liverpool have maybe five million fans in England and 175 million fans around the world.
"I want clubs from outside Europe to have global appeal in the future. That's my vision: to have 50 clubs and 50 national teams who can become world champions.”
The emergence of reports, which came after the collapse of the proposed ‘Project Big Picture’ revamp of English football, has prompted widespread debate and plenty of opposition among fans and pundits alike.
Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, slammed the idea and seemingly challenged those behind it to take public ownership of the plans.
"The authors of this idea, if they really exist because there is nobody actually defending it, not only show total ignorance of the organisation and customs of European and world football, but also a serious ignorance of the audiovisual rights markets," Tebas fumed to ESPN.
"A project of this type will mean serious economic damage to the organisers themselves and to those entities that finance it, if they exist, because they're never official. These 'underground' projects only look good when drafted at a bar at five in the morning."
Portugal legend Luis Figo, meanwhile, called upon football fans and authorities to unite against the plan.
"What I read about this Super League idea will destroy football as we know it," Figo warned.
"It's all about greed and keeping the game for a few elite clubs, while killing the other clubs and leagues that fans love.
"Football should unite! Everyone should oppose it!"
