European football is about to cross a controversial line, quite literally, after UEFA confirmed that it has reluctantly approved the staging of one La Liga match in the United States and one Serie A fixture
in Australia, despite fierce backlash from supporters across Europe.
In a statement released on Monday, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin acknowledged that the decision was far from ideal but said the governing body had little choice.
“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,” said Čeferin.
UEFA’s Executive Committee formally approved the two proposals — but only after failing to find any clear FIFA rule that could legally prevent the leagues from moving games overseas.
The Matches in Question
The Spanish La Liga confirmed it would shift the Barcelona vs Villarreal fixture, originally scheduled for late December, to Miami — marking the first official top-flight Spanish league match to be played on American soil.
Meanwhile, Italy’s Serie A announced that AC Milan would face Como on February 8 in Perth, Australia, since Milan’s iconic San Siro will be unavailable that week due to preparations for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
While both leagues defended the moves as efforts to “expand their global footprint,” fans were far less diplomatic.
“Absurd, Unaffordable, and Irresponsible”
Supporters’ groups across Europe quickly denounced the decisions, calling them a direct attack on football’s local roots, condemning the plan as “absurd, unaffordable, and environmentally irresponsible,” arguing that such matches betray the loyal fans who sustain the domestic game.
Critics also warned that this could open the door to a slippery slope, where top leagues increasingly prioritise global marketing over home supporters.
UEFA’s Hands Tied by FIFA Loophole
Despite expressing “clear opposition” to domestic league games being exported abroad, UEFA said it was effectively powerless to stop the move.
In its official release, UEFA stated that:
“Despite the widespread lack of support that had already been raised by fans, other leagues, clubs, players and European institutions, UEFA found no clear regulatory framework in FIFA’s statutes that would allow it to oppose the moves.”
In short: FIFA’s rulebook doesn’t explicitly forbid national leagues from staging official fixtures outside their borders — leaving UEFA no legal ground to block the games.
A Dangerous Precedent or a One-Off?
Čeferin and UEFA have been quick to insist this approval is a one-time exception, not the beginning of a new era of “globalized” league football.
Still, the implications are huge. If the experiment is commercially successful, other leagues, including the Premier League, could also face renewed pressure to follow suit, given the beautiful game’s ever-growing global popularity.
For now, though, UEFA is hoping the storm passes.
“This decision is exceptional,” UEFA reiterated, “and shall not be seen as setting a precedent.”
(with agency inputs)
