UEFA has conceded to allow la Liga’s Barcelona to play a regular season match in Miami and Serie A’s AC Milan to compete in Perth, Australia, despite reservations about the precedent set by taking league games abroad. The decision, announced Monday, comes amid strong protest from European fan groups who fear a weakening of the connection between clubs and their customary home bases.
The move enables Villarreal to face Barcelona in Miami on December 20 and AC Milan to play Como in Perth in February. While UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin characterized the approvals as “regrettable,” the organization cited a lack of definitive regulations from FIFA as the primary reason for not actively blocking the games. This situation highlights a growing tension between the desire to expand the global reach of European soccer and the preservation of its established structure.
Ceferin emphasized that this consent is an isolated case. “While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent,” he stated. UEFA intends to collaborate with FIFA to develop clearer rules governing such events in the future, aiming to protect the integrity of domestic leagues and the relationship between clubs, their supporters, and their communities.The approvals follow a period of vocal opposition from supporter organizations across Europe, who view the overseas matches as a commercial venture that prioritizes revenue over tradition. UEFA acknowledged these concerns and pledged to actively participate in FIFA-lead efforts to establish guidelines that prevent similar situations from undermining the core principles of European soccer.
UEFA stated it will “actively contribute to the ongoing work led by FIFA to ensure that future rules uphold the integrity of domestic competitions and the close bond between clubs, their supporters and local communities.”
