Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has admitted it is “regrettable” that two European league matches will be played abroad this season, but insists the decision is an exceptional case and not a green light for the future.
For the first time in history, a European top-flight league game will take place outside its home country when Villarreal face Barcelona in Miami this December. Just two months later, Serie A giants AC Milan will play Como in Perth, Australia.
Despite stressing its “clear opposition” to staging league fixtures abroad, Uefa confirmed it was forced to allow the matches because there is no legal framework to stop them. Ceferin said:
“League matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions. While it is regrettable to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent.”
Supporters across Europe, led by Football Supporters Europe (FSE), condemned the decision, warning of “long-lasting harm” to the sport. FSE pledged to explore all legal and organisational avenues to prevent leagues from exporting domestic fixtures.
The concern is clear: while Super Cups and exhibition friendlies abroad have become common, league games have always been tied to local fans. Moving them abroad risks alienating the very supporters who built the clubs.
This development highlights the growing commercialisation of football. With Europe’s top leagues competing for global audiences, overseas fixtures could open lucrative new revenue streams in untapped markets.
The question is: at what cost?
For clubs, the financial upside of playing in the US or Australia is obvious—expanded fan bases, international sponsors, and broadcast deals. But for local fans, it feels like losing a piece of football heritage.
The Premier League has been here before. Back in 2008, the infamous idea of a “39th game” played abroad was shelved after heavy fan backlash. Current chief executive Richard Masters insists there are “no plans” to export fixtures, but history suggests commercial temptation could eventually test that resolve.
If La Liga and Serie A’s overseas games prove profitable, pressure may grow on England’s top flight to follow suit. And with the Premier League’s vast global reach, the financial potential could be staggering.
This is a pivotal moment for European football. Will these matches remain true one-offs, or will they open the floodgates to more fixtures being shipped abroad?
For now, Uefa is calling it an “exceptional” case—but in the sports market, where money often dictates momentum, “exceptional” can quickly become the new normal.
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