A judge of the Supreme Court ruled that the legal claims of more than 800 Liverpool supporters against UEFA about the chaos of the final of the Champions League 2022 can be heard in England.
Thousands of Liverpool fans were unable to enter the Stade de France on 28 May, who won Real Madrid 1-0, which caused a 36-minute delay when the French police were filmed with tear-gasing supporters outside the stadium.
Many supporters were already the target of local young people who tried to steal tickets before the kick -off.
In a hearing last July, UEFA argued that English courts do not have the jurisdiction to tackle the claims. The court in Liverpool heard that it was dependent on a principle that English courts will not inquire about the legality of the actions of a foreign government.
In a 38 -page judgment on Friday, however, Mr. Justice Turner said that the case could be heard in England.
“I already concluded that, according to English law,” he wrote. “It is doubtful that the combination of the limits of the scope of the application of the doctrine on the facts of this case as I have found them and the further restrictions imposed by the operation of the first exception are in themselves fatal to undermine the jurisdiction application of the defendants.”
Last March, UEFA said it had achieved a definitive arrangement with fans represented by two law companies who have submitted claims for personal injury.
The administrative body of European football initially blamed the fans of the Merseyside Club before they apologized after the release of an independent assessment in 2023.
UEFA later prepared a repayment schedule, but Real Madrid described it as 'insufficient' and refused to contribute, while the affected fans resorted to legal action.
After the incident, the administrative body also started a series of measures for the following finals, including the implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Review, increasing the number of security officers and involving fans in planning and implementation.
The constant claims concern a group that is represented by Law firm Leigh Day.
Het onafhankelijke rapport van 2023 in opdracht van UEFA concludeerde dat alleen de kalmte van Liverpool -fans een 'massale dodelijk catastrophe' had voorkomen nadat UEFA de veiligheid en veiligheid op de buitenspel had gezet, dat de Franse politie incompetent gedroeg door het schieten van traangas in de menigte en die Franse interieur -minister Gerard Darmanin het aantal ticketloze fans op de hoogte brachten.
Jill Paterson, one of the personal injury Platitors on Leigh Day that represents the fans, said: “This is a milestone legal decision for fans of Liverpool in their battle for justice against UEFA.
'UEFA will now have to answer them in the English courts. All football fans must be able to attend safely matches. '
A statement from the administrative body was: 'UEFA today received the English Supreme Court about a provisional challenge for a claim submitted against it by supporters of Liverpool Football Club, in connection with the 2022 Champions League finale in Paris.
'UEFA had applied for the claim to be rejected on the basis of the fact that it requires an English court to consider the actions of the French police and other French authorities in a way that is not permitted by English law. That application was considered in July 2024 during a two -day hearing in Liverpool.
'Today's judgment says that it is too early in the procedure to know whether UEFA's position is correct or not. The judgment says that UEFA's arguments will be revised as soon as the information is available.
'This is the only remaining claim submitted by Fans of Liverpool with regard to the final of the Champions League 2022. The other two claims were resolved after discussions described by legal representatives of both sets of fans as' constructive'.
“UEFA will not give any further comments at this stage.”
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