Uefa backs down from trademark dispute over ‘Champignons League’ pizza

The football governing body had written to Pizza Wolke about the name of their new dish

Uefa’s local trademark lawyers had written to Pizza Wolke, a restaurant and supplier in Giessen, Germany about the name of their new pizza (REUTERS)

Uefa has said it can “happily live alongside” a German company’s “Champignons League“ pizza after a trademark dispute.

The football governing body, which runs the Champions League, said its local trademark lawyers had written to Pizza Wolke, a restaurant and supplier in Giessen, Germany about the name of their new cheesy offering.

In an Instagram post earlier in January, Pizza Wolke appeared unbowed by the prospect of a battle with Uefa.

Its caption, translated using an online search engine, read: “Long live the pizza CHAMPI(G)NONS LEAGUE! I am honoured! As a child of football!

“It just goes to show my gang and I that we’re absolutely on the right track!

“My gang and I have started a journey and we won’t stop until we’re in all the chests and eventually baked in all the ovens! A man! A pizza!”

However in a statement issued today, Uefa said that some people were “making a meal of this story” and they can “happily live alongside this delicious-sounding pizza”.

The statement said: “Uefa obviously takes the protection of its intellectual property seriously but this instance seems to be a case of an over-zealous local trade mark agent acting too hastily.

“The Uefa Champions League can happily live alongside this delicious-sounding pizza.”

Social media users were quick to come to Pizza Wolke’s defence, with one replying “Free Pizza Champignon!” while another wrote “we are the champignons, my friend”.

The pizza in question is covered in mushrooms, or champignons in German.

Additional reporting by agencies