All six English clubs who initially proposed joining a European Super League are now withdrawing from the breakaway tournament.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all confirmed they’re withdrawing.
They're pulling out of the controversial competition, with organisers of the planned league now saying they plan to "reshape the project".
However, the withdrawal of the English clubs leaves just six other teams in the proposed tournament.
The ‘big six’ English teams announced their decisions to withdraw in separate statements late on Tuesday night.
Manchester United said they’d made the decision after the “reaction from our fans, the UK government and other key stakeholders”.
Arsenal, meanwhile, apologised for their decision to join the league - saying it had been a mistake.
The club said: “It was never our intention to cause such distress, however when the invitation to join the Super League came, while knowing there were no guarantees, we did not want to be left behind to ensure we protected Arsenal and its future.
“Our aim is always to make the right decisions for this great football club, to protect it for the future and to take us forward. We didn’t make the right decision here, which we fully accept.”
It came after 48 hours of protests and opposition, including fans taking to the streets outside Chelsea's Stamford Bridge to oppose the move.
The decision also came shortly after several prominent Liverpool players shared a collective statement opposing the league.
— Jordan Henderson (@JHenderson) April 20, 2021
Plans for the Super League were unveiled on Sunday and met with immediate opposition.
Fans, pundits, politicians, football bodies and some of the clubs’ managers and players were vocal in their criticism of the plans.
Political leaders - including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron - were among those who vowed action to try to stop the plans.
European football body UEFA, meanwhile, warned that players involved in the new league could be banned from playing for their national teams.
The new league's president - Real Madrid's Florentino Perez - has claimed the controversial new tournament will "save football".
