English Premier League in the US? Fifa weighs allowing overseas games
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Manchester United midfielder Casemiro attempts an overhead kick during an English Premier League match against Newcastle United.
PHOTO: AFP
BANGKOK – Fifa is set to consider allowing domestic football leagues to play their matches overseas, opening the door to money-spinning English Premier League or Spanish La Liga clashes being staged in the United States, the Middle East or Asia.
Football’s world governing body on May 15 agreed to set up a 10- to 15-strong working group to examine the idea and make recommendations.
The Premier League and La Liga, with their vast global followings, have long mooted the idea of playing matches outside their home territories.
La Liga president Javier Tebas said as recently as in April that he was hoping his league would be able to do so as soon as from the 2025-26 season.
The new Fifa committee will “gather further information and issue recommendations to the council regarding potential amendments to the Fifa regulations governing international matches”, the body said in a statement.
The council – Fifa’s regular decision-making body – said the group would consider 10 aspects of hosting overseas games. These include the impact on fans, how it would affect the balance of the competition, whether the games would be one-offs or a regular feature and the impact on football.
Top European clubs regularly play lucrative friendlies around the world, such as Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United’s clash in Melbourne on May 22, just three days after the end of the Premier League season.
Broadcasters in the US, in particular, are keen to cash in on the booming popularity of the English top flight by hosting competitive matches.
Up to now, dreams of a mouthwatering Arsenal v Manchester City or Real Madrid v Barcelona clash stateside have been thwarted by Fifa rules that say competitive league games must be played in their home country.
Much-discussed plans for a Premier League “39th game” overseas were dropped in 2008 following opposition from supporters’ groups, Fifa and European football’s governing body Uefa.
But a legal challenge in the US in April then prompted Fifa to reconsider their long-held opposition to out-of-territory matches.
While La Liga seems keen on the idea, the Premier League’s chief executive Richard Masters had previously said that overseas games are “not part of our current plans”.
However, the BBC also quoted him saying that recent developments have “left the door ajar” for such endeavours in America in the future.
The move came as delegates gathered in Bangkok for Fifa’s annual congress on May 17, when Brazil was chosen as host of the 2027 Women’s World Cup. AFP
