September 2 – Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have called on world governing body FIFA to block domestic league matches from being moved abroad.
In August, La Liga moved closer to staging a first-ever regular-season game in the United States by approving a request for the match between Villarreal and Barcelona to be played in Miami on December 20. Meanwhile, Serie A wants to shift AC Milan – Como in February to Perth, Australia.
The FSE previously issued a statement rejecting the idea of league matches being played abroad, but now they have written to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, demanding he takes action. The FSE points to articles 3 and 6 of FIFA’s Regulations Governing International Matches, which require official domestic competitions to be played within their national association’s territory.
They also argue that league matches being played abroad would “undermine sporting integrity, place commercial interests above sporting values, alienate local supporters” and “generate significant environmental and logistical burdens.”
In a statement, Ron Evain, the executive director of FSE, said: “Relocating domestic league matches abroad would set a dangerous precedent, stripping clubs of their roots and undermining the trust of supporters. FIFA must take a clear stand to protect the integrity and identity of domestic football.
“Those behind the proposals claim they are only interested in a one-off event, a claim we reject. If permitted, this would open a Pandora’s box of disarray for football. Short-sighted commercial interests cannot take precedent over protecting domestic football and the communities our clubs grew out of.”
US agency Relevent has for years pushed for a La Liga game to be staged in Miami. Today, the agency also holds the rights for the Champions League, UEFA’s flagship club competition. Last April, Relevent scored a major legal win after it challenged FIFA’s veto on organising league matches abroad, forcing a policy review.
Relevent’s plans to stage league matches in Europe will test the relationships between UEFA, the European Club Association (ECA) and the European Leagues, a body that represents 34 leagues on the continent. ECA and the European Leagues, it is understood, have members on both sides of the debate.
Last week, European football boss Aleksander Ceferin admitted that the confederation may lack the legal means to block league matches from being shifted abroad. In an interview with Politico, the UEFA President said: “We’re not happy but, as much as we checked legally, we don’t have much space here if the federations agree, and both federations agreed.”
Contact the writer of this story Samindra Kunti at [email protected]