Sky Documentaries Orders European Super League Doc

Sky Documentaries has commissioned a Sky original feature-length documentary about the rise and rapid fall of the European Super League (ESL).

The documentary will chart the dramatic events of the days surrounding the announcement of the ESL in April 2021, which proposed a new annual international competition between the biggest clubs in football. Produced by Fulwell 73 (Sunderland ‘Til I Die, The Class of 92, I Am Bolt), in association with Sky Studios, the 90-minute film will air on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW later this year.

The ESL was meant to feature 12 founding members from the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga. In the 72-hour period between the league’s announcement and subsequent collapse, the ESL dominated the headlines and prompted reactions around the world from national governments, football’s governing bodies, other clubs, players, managers, pundits and fans.

The film will tell the story of the proposed league with an exclusive inside look at the events and decisions that led to the announcement. It will span those turbulent few days following the statement and cover recent footballing history to give context to its inception. The film will feature archive footage, first-hand interviews with figures from the 12 founding clubs, global footballing leagues and federations, players and fans themselves.

The documentary is directed by Carl Hindmarch.

NBCUniversal Global Distribution will handle international sales of the film on behalf of Sky Studios.

Poppy Dixon, director of documentaries and factual commissioning at Sky, said: “The announcement and disbanding of the European Super League became one of the most volatile 72 hours in football history. Football fans and non-fans alike debated, protested and trended this game-changing decision around the world before watching its rapid collapse. When Fulwell pitched us the film as a high stakes thriller with exclusive access from inside the story, we knew this would be a brilliant fit for Sky Documentaries”.

Richard Thompson, head of music and sport, features and series at Fulwell 73, said: “The story of the European Super League gripped the world and you didn’t have to be a football fan to understand its significance and what it meant to the sport, clubs and fans across the globe. We’re excited to hear first-hand from those involved to learn about the stories behind the headlines and bring this truly fascinating tale to life.”