Karl-Heinz Rummenigge declares the Super League “dead” and opposes biennial World Cup

In comments at an award ceremony for German soccer ambassadors in Berlin, Former Bayern Munich executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge bluntly declared the European Super League “dead” and moreover called on FIFA to reform its overloaded calendar (Sport1).

In April, the “dirty dozen”—twelve clubs from England, Spain, and Italy—had unilaterally declared the launch of a new European Super League. Only Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Juventus still officially support the effort, after all the English clubs withdrew.

Although a legal challenge spearheaded by Real Madrid remains to be decided, Rummenigge, who himself once toyed with the idea of a Super League when he headed the European Club Association, has seen enough.

“The case of the Super League is closed, it’s dead,” Rummenigge said. “It was a giant flop. The fans’ vote was clear.”

Rummenigge also emphasized the need to reform the current schedule of international events. “We have to try to reform and rationalize this soccer calendar a bit, which is crammed much too full. The players cannot do more than what is already being asked of them at the moment,” Rummenigge said.

FIFA’s recent proposal to hold the World Cup every two years, instead of four, also leaves Rummenigge cold. He is “not in favor of having a World Cup of soccer take place every two years.” The goal should instead, in Rummenigge’s view, be to raise the quality of competitions and games while reducing their number.