More than five years after the Super League collapsed, Arsenal are facing fresh issues as Real Madrid reopen the argument over who should pick up the bill.
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Real Madrid reportedly want Arsenal and the other five English clubs involved in the failed European Super League to help cover the costs of setting it up.
Their argument is that the six Premier League clubs still have some responsibility for the money spent getting the project off the ground, even though they pulled out in April 2021 and the whole thing never went anywhere.
Arsenal were joined by Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur as part of the original 12-club breakaway.
All six English clubs withdrew within three days after the plan was met with widespread opposition from fans.
The Athletic reports that the total set-up costs could be as high as €80 million, around £67.3 million.
That does not mean Arsenal have been handed a £67.3 million bill, nor that the six English clubs have been told to split that figure between them.
There is currently no confirmed amount that Arsenal have been asked to pay.
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The disagreement comes down to the shareholders’ agreement signed by the clubs behind the European Super League Company.
Real Madrid believe the clubs’ original involvement means they still have financial responsibilities towards the project, even after walking away.
The costs have so far been covered by Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, who all hung in much longer.
Whether Real Madrid can actually make the English clubs pay is another matter.
The Athletic reports that leaked Super League documents do not specifically say departed clubs must share these costs. They refer instead to the clubs “jointly” owning and managing the Super League companies and taking the steps needed to set the competition up.
That leaves the key question unresolved: does signing up to the original project mean Arsenal and the others are still on the hook for some of the money?
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Any payments would reportedly go to the European Super League Company, rather than directly to Real Madrid.
Juventus later withdrew, while Barcelona formally left in February 2026, leaving Real Madrid as the only founding club still involved.
There has been no court ruling ordering the club to pay, no agreement from Arsenal to hand over money and no confirmed figure attached to them individually.
Tottenham declined to comment to Reuters, while Arsenal and the other four English clubs did not immediately respond.
More than five years after the Super League collapsed, Arsenal are still, it seems, dealing with its fallout.
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