Potential Revival of Overseas Premier League Matches Amidst Serie A and La Liga's Plans
As Serie A and La Liga prepare to host regular season matches in Australia and the USA, respectively, the prospect of Premier League games being played overseas may be revisited.
In the past month, the football federations of Italy and Spain have announced intentions to hold league fixtures in Perth and Miami. For instance, AC Milan's home match against Como in February is set to take place over 8,500 miles away from the San Siro, while Villarreal's clash with Barcelona in December is scheduled for the Hard Rock Stadium, a venue for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Both federations are currently seeking approval from FIFA and UEFA. FIFA is expected to revise its regulations following the establishment of a working group last year, which analyzed the ramifications of conducting competitive domestic matches in foreign countries.
This development follows a legal agreement between FIFA and match promoter Relevant Sports in the USA, which, according to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, "left the door ajar" for the possibility of league games being played internationally.
Despite its previous advocacy for the controversial '39th game' concept during Richard Scudamore's leadership, the Premier League has stated it currently has no plans to pursue overseas matches.
US Ownership Influence Approaching Tipping Point
Currently, there are 11 clubs in the Premier League owned by US investors, nearing the two-thirds majority of 14 necessary to effect changes to the league's regulations. Additionally, a third of EFL clubs are either partially or fully US-owned, with several English clubs on the market or seeking new investments, suggesting the tipping point may soon be reached.
With Serie A and La Liga announcing their intentions to host matches in Australia and the USA, and with major US sports leagues frequently staging regular-season games abroad, it is plausible that American owners of Premier League clubs may advocate for a similar approach. Several of these owners also possess franchises in the NFL, NBA, and MLB.
Last year, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner expressed hopes of seeing Premier League games played in cities like New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Riyadh, and Rio de Janeiro, sparking concerns among fans about a potential revival of the '39th game' concept, which was abandoned in 2008 following significant fan opposition.
Niall Couper, chief executive of the football advocacy group Fair Game, warned that the recent resurgence of ideas like the '39th game' is a troubling indication of prioritizing global markets over local fan engagement, potentially transforming the national game into a global entertainment brand rather than preserving its traditional values.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters reiterated last year that there were no plans to revisit this concept, while Bournemouth's American owner Bill Foley expressed his opposition to hosting league matches abroad. Earlier this year, Tom Wagner, the US owner of Birmingham City, indicated that while overseas domestic cup matches should be 'seriously considered', he distanced himself from the notion of regular season matches being played abroad.
Although the UK government reportedly contemplated proposing an amendment to the Football Governance Bill to prevent the possibility of staging league matches overseas, it ultimately chose not to proceed.
La Liga's Need to Compete with the Premier League
In 2018, Barcelona abandoned plans to play a league match against Girona in Miami due to a "lack of consensus", despite support from La Liga. However, the RFEF and players' union (AFE) voiced strong objections to the initiative, although the former has since altered its stance.
Spanish football expert Andy West noted, "Spanish football is determined to establish a strong presence in football's two largest growth markets: the Middle East and the United States." The Super Cup, a four-team mid-season event, has already been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020 to cater to the former market.
West emphasized that La Liga recognizes the necessity to compete financially with the Premier League, leveraging the global appeal of clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid. Given Miami's Spanish-speaking demographic and its connections to Barcelona (including former stars like Messi and Suarez), the city emerges as a strategic location for such events.
Potential Erosion of Premier League's Competitive Edge
The financial allure of hosting matches abroad is compelling for some Premier League club owners. With median matchday revenues falling below £1 million, the contrast with markets like the U.S. is stark, where fans frequently pay premium prices for elite sporting events; for instance, NFL tickets average $132 (£105).
In a 60,000-seat stadium, akin to Tottenham's NFL setup, this could translate to £6.3 million per match, excluding merchandise and hospitality revenues. Top clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, and Spurs, which already earn over £5 million per home game, could potentially command even higher prices in international markets, supported by their global fanbases.
However, for smaller clubs like Bournemouth or Burnley, hosting a home match abroad could mean losing the vocal support of their majority fanbase, particularly against globally recognized opponents. Each Premier League position is valued at £3.5 million in prize money, suggesting that diminished fan support could outweigh any commercial advantages.
According to the Deloitte Money League, 14 Premier League clubs rank among the global top 30. Nevertheless, if La Liga or Serie A begin to stage overseas fixtures, the Premier League's competitive edge may begin to diminish.