Prime Minister Boris Johnson and all football's major governing bodies have condemned controversial plans for a breakaway European Super League.

As revealed by The Times, 12 leading European clubs including six from England have signed up to the controversial project.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham are involved along with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus.

The plans - confirmed in a joint statement on Sunday night by the clubs concerned - have brought widespread criticism from across the sport and also the top of the UK government.

PM Johnson tweeted: "Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action. They would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country.

"The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps."

UEFA said it would use "all measures" possible to stop what it described as a "cynical project".

They joined the English FA, Premier League and other European leagues in a statement which slammed the plans.

It said the project was "founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever."

They said they would consider "judicial" as well as sporting measures to stop it from happening.

FIFA and the six confederations have said the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players "could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams."

Some major clubs in France and Germany reportedly turned down the chance to sign up to the scheme.

The news emerged as UEFA had been set to sign off new plans for an expanded and restructured Champions League.

Former Manchester United and England defender and Salford City co-owner Gary Neville launched a furious tirade against the plans when speaking on Sky Sports.

He said: “I’m disgusted with Manchester United and Liverpool the most.

“They’re breaking away to a competition they can’t be relegated from? It’s an absolute disgrace. We have to wrestle back power in this country from the clubs at the top of this league – and that includes my club.

“It’s pure greed, they’re impostors."

Neville added that clubs should be punished by the Premier League with points deductions and fines.

Deduct them all points, put them at the bottom of the league, and take their money off them,” Neville said of the clubs involved.

"It’s a criminal act against football fans in this country.

"They [the club owners] will probably hide in a few weeks, and say it was nothing to do with them and they were only talking about it.

"Seriously, in the midst of a pandemic, an economic crisis and these lot are having Zoom calls about breaking away and basically creating more greed? Joke.”

The Premier League also issued a statement in which it said the proposal "attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart [of domestic and European football]."

The 12 clubs confirmed they had joined the new midweek tournament, called 'The Super League', as "founding clubs".

They said a further three clubs were likely to join ahead of the inaugural season, "which is intended to commence as soon as practicable."

The new competition is being bankrolled by American banking giant JP Morgan.

The 12 clubs said they hoped to hold talks with UEFA and FIFA "to work together in partnership to deliver the best outcomes for the new League and for football as a whole."

The rebel clubs claimed the existing European football economic model was "unstable" and the new competition would "improve the quality and intensity of existing European competitions throughout each season, and..create a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis."

They also insisted it would lead to greater revenue for the "wider football pyramid".

The competition's format would involve 20 clubs, five of which would qualify annually "based on achievements in the prior season."

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is the new league's chairman, claiming the clubs were "responding to the desires" of football's "four billion" fans around the world.

Andrea Agnelli, chairman of Juventus and vice-chairman of the Super League said the competition would "put the game we love on a sustainable footing for the long-term future, substantially increase solidarity, and give fans and amateur players a regular flow of headline fixtures that will feed their passion for the game while providing them with engaging role models.”

There was also a rare public statement from Joel Glazer, co-chairman of Manchester United and also vice-chairman of the Super League.

He said: “By bringing together the world’s greatest clubs and players to play each other throughout the season, the Super League will open a new chapter for European football, ensuring world-class competition and facilities, and increased financial support for the wider football pyramid.”