UEFA's chief of women's football, Nadine Kessler, has warned of the damage the creation of a women's European Super League could have on the women's game.
Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are part of a 12-club proposal for a new midweek men's competition which could effectively lead to a 'closed shop' for the clubs.
That has prompted a furious response from many quarters within the game, with the European Super League also planning a corresponding women's league which it claims will help "to advance and develop the women's game".
However, Kessler, a former Germany international and World Player of the Year, dismissed the claims in a letter published on Twitter, saying: "It is a direct threat to all the plans we have carefully crafted, together with ECA (European Club Association), your clubs and the leagues, for (a) new UEFA Women's Champions League.
"Clubs need to be able to have the ambition of being part of the top of European women's club football, the UEFA Women's Champions League. With a closed European Women's Super League, this is not possible.
"Of course, such [a] development would be equally devastating for the national leagues, who have made enormous efforts to professionalise the women's game. All the great steps made in recent years… will have less of a chance of becoming a reality."
Sanderson: ESL won't derail women's game progress
Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Lianne Sanderson remains upbeat on the future of the women's game despite the potential for big changes to investment levels across the sport with the proposed ESL.
"You can't compare the women's game to the men's because they are two completely different entities," Sanderson exclusively told Sky Sports News.
"If you look at the likes of Lyon and Wolfsburg in the Champions League they've more or less run away with the competition for years.
"We've already seen with the women's game the more money invested there are teams that are already breaking away in the league.
"It's already become a super league within the WSL because you have the links of Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United that are more superior to the other teams based on the money.
"But we're coming up to a really encouraging time, Sky Sports has obviously picked up the rights to the WSL which is so exciting and is still going to go ahead so I am still excited."
Sanderson: ESL timing is wrong, who do these clubs think they are?
Sanderson started her career at Arsenal before playing for both Chelsea and Juventus and she is disappointed with how her former sides have behaved over the European Super League proposals.
"I spent 12 years at Arsenal, I'm a Manchester United fan and also spent two years at Juventus so I am very disappointed at how the clubs I used to play for have handled this," Sanderson added.
"It seems like money talks and ironically the so-called 'Big Six' are not even in the top six in the Premier League so I don't know who some of these clubs think they are.
"It's so disappointing to say the least because football has really helped people during this global pandemic.
"The timing is everything and during a global pandemic, there's already enough negativity in the world without having to deal with this in the beautiful game.
"It makes me sad and the fans deserve to have a voice - we're all in agreement as to how we feel about this - it's a disgrace.
"I hope it doesn't happen and I do think there needs to be some form of punishment - a lot of the players' hands may be tied to a certain degree but I encourage them to speak out.
"I don't think it's a case of divide and conquer if they do speak out as well as pundits and fans as we all have a voice - it's about everyone speaking out because we're all in agreement here."
Podcast special: European Super League explanation, reaction and ramifications
In a special podcast, Jasper Taylor sums up a seismic 24 hours in football after Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham agreed to join a breakaway European Super League, along with six other teams.
The reaction has been swift, damning, passionate and emotional to say the least. Hear from Gary Neville, Kaveh Solhekol, Bryan Swanson and more...
WSL live on Sky Sports from 2021/22 season
Sky Sports has announced a three-year deal with the FA to become the primary broadcaster of the Barclays Women's Super League from September 2021.
As one of the most competitive leagues, with some of the most famous names and teams in the world, the WSL will be one of Sky Sports' flagship offerings.
The deal will see Sky Sports show at least 35 games exclusively live per season and further strengthens the broadcaster's commitment to women's sport.
SawHotz
504
Look, it's unsure whether the Super League will go through or not. But the thing is it won't be that long of an issue. People will slowly start to accept the way it is, because football evolves with time. It won't be the same forever. Just think about it, when football was invented, the task was just to put the ball in the net using your feet. Then came the idea of football tournaments, which eventually led to the formation of leagues, cup competitions, World Cup and eventually the Champions League. Even on the pitch, previously the game would be played with 9 strikers, 1 defender and 1 goalkeeper, then came the use of formations and tactics, many years later, Johan Cruyff's came with the dominant approach of football, Tiki-Taka stuff, then Jose Mourinho's counter attacking style of play, and today, we are playing the game that has evolved over so many years. Talk about financing, previously clubs would be run by presidents, then came the idea of owner financing and look at what Roman Abramovich did to Chelsea. Imagine the state of Man City now had there not been a takeover from Mansour. We talk about the way they "bought success" but is there anyone who addressed this issue to UEFA? The thing is that the European Super League won't do any harm to football, it will still be played, so I guess it's better to accept the way it is and move on, coz you can't help it.
Anas101messi
279
It's a shame people still support Uefa and Fifa. They are obviously scared and intimidated by the ESL and they only care about their own pocket and because they know the fans are use to the UCL and Domestic Leagues they now threathen to ban the teams from them just to get fans to support them. How have they helped big teams whose value are dropping? How have they helped the racism issues happening in football everyday? But because their pockets are at stake they are ready to do anything to stop the ESL which would be double their standard from happening. Everyone is saying "The ESL is all about Money, it's not football". What is UCL and the domestic leagues all about??? we're they ever free entertainment??? No player plays for free, Every player plays on their payday! Every fan pays to watch their favorite teams either in stadiums or Tv. Players are traded for money. Of course it's entertainment but it all evolves around money!! The EsL is gonna gain a lot more and Fifa and Uefa are gonna lose value because of that , at the end of the day it's all about Money!!!