UEFA 'with reservation' permits European league fixtures in USA and Australia
On Monday, UEFA announced it had 'with reservation' approved hosting a La Liga and a Serie A match in the United States and Australia in those countries respectively amidst fan protests.
'Although it is regrettable to proceed with these two fixtures, this choice is exceptional and must not be interpreted as establishing a precedent,' stated UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
The decision followed La Liga's agreement to reschedule a December match between champions Barcelona and Villarreal to Miami, Florida.
Italy's Serie A also opted to hold AC Milan's fixture against Como on February 8 in Perth, Australia, to prevent a scheduling conflict with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony at Milan's San Siro.
This move drew criticism from European supporter groups, who labelled the decisions 'unreasonable, financially unsustainable, and ecologically damaging'.
UEFA's statement confirmed it 'has consistently expressed clear disapproval of domestic league matches being held outside their nation of origin'.
Nevertheless, despite 'broad opposition from supporters, other leagues, clubs, athletes, and European organisations', UEFA acknowledged no explicit regulatory basis in FIFA's statutes to block the changes.
'The UEFA Executive Committee has, with reluctance, approved both requests on an extraordinary basis,' declared European football's regulatory authority.
Precedents in other sports
Though relocating European football fixtures overseas appears surprising to many, other sports, particularly American leagues, have implemented similar arrangements for years.
The NFL has organised matches in London since 2007 and later expanded into Mexico and Germany.
In 2023 it introduced a fixture in Sao Paulo, with Dublin hosting its first game this year. Madrid will feature a match in November, while Melbourne is set to welcome a game in 2026.
The NBA has relocated regular season games since 1990 to Japan and since 2013 across Europe, planning six fixtures in Berlin, London, Manchester, and Paris over the coming three seasons.
Rugby union saw France's Top 14 final hosted at Barcelona's Camp Nou in 2016, while Ireland and New Zealand contested a match in Chicago that same year, resulting in Ireland's first victory against the All Blacks.
Recently, Argentina faced South Africa in London's Twickenham for their Rugby Championship finale.
While hosting football matches abroad is not unprecedented, such instances were previously limited to informal exhibition games.
The Spanish and Italian Super Cups have already been staged in Saudi Arabia following earlier editions in China, Morocco, Qatar, and Libya as federations capitalise on football's international appeal.
La Liga has pursued opportunities to host games in the United States for several years, partnering with commercial entity Relevent Sports.
FIFA, football's global governing body, has adjusted its previous stance against fixture relocations, initiating a 'working group' in May to reform regulations.
This development enabled UEFA to grant La Liga and Serie A permission to extend their reach internationally.