Uefa President Addresses Controversial Decision for Matches Abroad
Uefa President Alexander Ceferin has described the decision to allow two European league matches to be played overseas as "regrettable," emphasizing that it is an "exceptional" case that will not establish a precedent.
In December, La Liga clubs Villarreal and Barcelona are scheduled to compete in Miami, marking the first European league match to occur outside of the continent. Additionally, a Serie A match between AC Milan and Como is set to take place in Perth, Australia, in February.
Uefa, the governing body of European football, has expressed its "clear opposition" to these plans but reluctantly approved them due to the absence of a legal framework to prevent such actions.
Ceferin stated, "League matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements into competitions. Our consultations confirmed the breadth of these concerns. I would like to thank the 55 national associations for their constructive and responsible engagement on such a sensitive issue."
He added, "While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent. Our commitment is clear: to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains anchored in its home environment."
The fans' group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has voiced concerns that the decision to host these matches abroad could result in "long-lasting harm" to the sport and is advocating for stricter regulations to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
FSE stated, "We will continue to stand firmly with fans in Spain and Italy in resisting these damaging proposals. Together with our members in these countries, we are exploring every possible option to counter these plans. By proceeding with these matches, La Liga and Serie A risk undermining their own history and long-term success while causing lasting damage to football in Europe and beyond. Now is the time for a solid regulatory framework that protects domestic competition."
Uefa reported that it consulted various stakeholders and found a "widespread lack of support" for playing league matches abroad, reflecting concerns raised by fans, other leagues, clubs, players, and European institutions. However, it noted that the regulatory framework set by world governing body Fifa is "not clear and detailed enough" to block these plans.
Fifa established a working group last year to evaluate the implications of hosting competitive domestic matches overseas. In the past, La Liga expressed interest in holding a match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in Miami, but the idea was later abandoned due to time constraints. In 2019, Barcelona also planned a league match against Girona in Miami, which was scrapped following opposition from Spain's football association and its players' union.
While one-off matches like the Italian Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup have been held abroad in recent years, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters confirmed in August that there are currently no plans to stage an English top-flight match overseas. The concept of a '39th game'—an additional round of Premier League matches played outside England—was proposed in 2008 but was shelved due to backlash from fans and the media.