Aleksander Ceferin, the UEFA President, has strongly criticized the growing trend of playing domestic league matches abroad, warning that it risks "breaking" football by distancing it from its core community roots. His comments come as UEFA reluctantly approved requests for one La Liga and one Serie A match to be played overseas this season.
The approved matches include a La Liga fixture between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami, scheduled for December, and a Serie A game between AC Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, slated for February. UEFA's approval was granted on an exceptional basis, citing the current lack of a clear and detailed FIFA regulatory framework to prevent such relocations.
Ceferin has reiterated UEFA's opposition to domestic league matches being played outside their home country. He stated that "League matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions". He thanked the 55 national associations for their constructive engagement on the sensitive issue. Despite the approval for the two matches, Ceferin insisted that this decision should not be seen as setting a precedent.
UEFA's decision follows consultations with stakeholders, which confirmed a widespread lack of support for the concept of relocating domestic league matches abroad. Concerns were raised by fans, other leagues, clubs, players, and European institutions. Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has voiced strong opposition to the decision, warning of "long-lasting harm" to the sport. FSE urged FIFA to update its regulations to prevent future games from being held abroad. The group said it would continue to stand firmly with fans in Spain and Italy in resisting these proposals.
Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner responsible for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport, has praised UEFA for its stance against the Super League and against domestic matches being moved overseas.
The decision to allow these matches to proceed has sparked debate about the increasing commercialization of football and the potential impact on fans and the integrity of domestic competitions. Ceferin stressed that football is more than just balance sheets and entertainment; it is a vital part of communities. He emphasized the importance of unity and inclusion within European football. He also restated that UEFA will never organize a competition for only a small number of elite clubs and wants to ensure that everyone has a chance to win the best competitions.
