Football: Fifa chief has doubts about LaLiga plans for US fixture

LaLiga plans to host Girona's home game against Barcelona in the United States, but Fifa president Gianni Infantino is not keen on the idea. PHOTO: REUTERS

Madrid (Reuters) - Fifa president Gianni Infantino has expressed doubts about LaLiga's plan to host Girona's home game against Barcelona in the United States.

The Spanish league wants the fixture to be played in Miami on Jan 26, 2019, but the president of football's world governing body is not keen on the idea.

"I think I would prefer to see a great MLS game in the US rather than LaLiga being in the US," Infantino said in a statement provided by Fifa to ESPN on Monday (Sept 17).

"In football, the general principle is that you play a 'home' match at 'home', and not in a foreign country."

LaLiga have asked the Spanish federation to approve the game being held overseas, while US Soccer, Fifa, Uefa and Concacaf, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean, must also agree for plans to go ahead.

Fifa told ESPN it had not yet been officially asked to give its consent for the game to be held in the US.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas responded on Twitter to Infantino's disapproving comments.

"I will remind the president of Fifa that in the MLS three teams from Canada play and Toronto FC are the current champions, and in Canada there is a professional league," wrote Tebas.

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