On Monday, UEFA once again took a stand against national league games being played outside Europe, but nevertheless approved the requests from the Spanish and Italian associations to move one match each to Miami and Perth respectively during the current season.
“League matches should be played in their own country; anything else would disadvantage loyal fans and potentially lead to distortions in competition,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin reiterated in a statement on Monday the European football union’s stance against relocating national league matches. “Our consultation has confirmed how significant these concerns are. I would like to thank the 55 national associations for their constructive and responsible engagement on this sensitive matter.”
Nevertheless, at a meeting of its Executive Committee, UEFA approved two requests previously submitted by the Spanish (RFEF) and Italian (FIGC) associations. The RFEF had requested that the La Liga match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona be moved to Miami (USA) in December, while the FIGC requested that the Serie A match between AC Milan and Como 1907, scheduled to take place during the Winter Olympics in Milan, be moved to Perth
(Australia) on February 6. Both requests have now been granted.
The FIFA regulatory framework is not clear and detailed enough
Following the Executive Committee meeting in Tirana, Albania, in September, at which a decision was postponed, UEFA conducted “further consultations with stakeholders.” These confirmed “the widespread rejection of the concept already expressed by fans, other leagues, clubs, players, and European institutions.” However, as “the relevant FIFA regulatory framework, which is currently being revised, is not clear and detailed enough,” the UEFA Executive Committee “reluctantly decided to approve the two applications submitted to it on an exceptional basis.”
“While it is regrettable that these two matches must take place, this decision is an exception and should not be seen as a precedent,” Ceferin assures: “Our commitment is clear: we want to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains rooted in its domestic environment.”
UEFA will actively participate in FIFA’s ongoing work to ensure that future rules preserve the integrity of national competitions and the close connection between clubs, their fans, and local communities.
