English Premier League giants Manchester United and Liverpool are in talks with Europe's elite clubs to join a new FIFA-backed tournament that would reshape the sport's global soccer landscape, Sky News reported on Tuesday.
Manchester United declined to comment on the report, Liverpool did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Citing unnamed "football industry" sources, Sky said more than 12 teams from Europe's top five leagues – in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – are in negotiations to become the founding members of the new tournament, dubbed the European Premier League, with a provisional start date in 2022.
The report added the financiers are looking to raise a $6 billion funding package to kick start the new tournament.
Sky said that FIFA, football's world governing body, is working on a new format, which is expected to feature 18 teams playing fixtures during regular European season before a knockout phase, adding that neither FIFA or UEFA had commented on the story.
Reuters has approached both organizations for comment and neither immediately responded. The idea of a European super league has been regularly floated over the last 20 years, with UEFA coming out strongly against it.