UEFA Delays Decision on League Matches Outside of Europe
The UEFA Executive Committee has postponed the decision on the request from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to authorize a La Liga match between Villarreal and Barcelona at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Following the Executive Committee meetings held in Tirana, Albania, UEFA announced that it will conduct a round of consultations with all stakeholders, including fans, before making a final decision. More than 400 fan groups from European clubs have protested against the proposal to hold matches abroad, and the fan liaison group Football Supporters Europe formally urged UEFA and FIFA to block the request. UEFA confirmed that its Executive Committee also agreed to postpone the decision on Serie A’s request to have the Inter Milan vs. Como match in Perth, Australia, in February. The RFEF approved this year the plans for Barcelona to play against Villarreal in Miami on December 20, but the final decision now rests with the governing bodies of football.
UEFA stated that no decision was made and that consultations will be held with all stakeholders in European football, including fans. The FSE group praised UEFA’s commitment to meaningful consultation, commending the “dedication to preserving the integrity of European football.” Critics of the plans, including the head of sports at the European Commission in Brussels, Glenn Micallef, claim that the sporting integrity of the leagues would also be unbalanced and harmed. La Liga and Serie A see an opportunity to build the fan base and brand for clubs and leagues, following the example of professional sports leagues in the United States. La Liga and its commercial partner Relevent, an American marketing agency co-founded by the owner of the Miami Dolphins, Stephen Ross, first tried in 2018 to bring a Barcelona match to the city, but were blocked by a FIFA veto. Relevent is now a major commercial partner of UEFA, with rights granted this year to sell six seasons of broadcast and sponsorship deals starting in 2027 for the Champions League and other European club competitions. FIFA has created a working group to review its rules on national matches abroad, and its 37-member governing council, with eight from UEFA, is scheduled to meet next month. UEFA leaders have previously said they do not support taking matches abroad, but they seemed to lack the legal power to block them.The committee acknowledged that it is an important and growing issue, but expressed the desire to ensure that it has the opinions of all stakeholders before reaching a final decision.
UEFA
The Spanish Minister of Sports, Pilar Alegría, opposes playing a league match abroad. Alegría also said that the Spanish government is taking steps to ensure that the 2030 World Cup final is held in Spain. Alegría stated that Spain is maintaining fluid conversations with Portugal and Morocco.European football belongs to our stadiums, our cities, our communities.
FSE
