The European Super League is taking legal steps to protect its players and members from potential punishments dished out by UEFA and FIFA.

If the plans succeed it would devastate existing European club competitions and in particular the Champions League.

World governing body FIFA has called for “calm, constructive dialogue” to resolve the crisis, but the company behind the Super League has pre-emptively taken steps to protect itself against any legal challenges.

Here is a letter to UEFA and FIFA, seen by the PA news agency, that the Super League wrote.

World players’ union FIFPRO says it will “vigorously oppose” any legal actions from any side which block players from competing for their national teams.

Preventing players from participating in World Cups and European Championships has previously been threatened as a consequence of any breakaway league.

The letter to FIFA and UEFA also said SLCo had secured a commitment to underwrite funding for the competition in the range of four billion euros (approximately £3.5billion), and JP Morgan confirmed to PA that it is financing the deal.

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