Uefa gives green light for Italian and Spanish league matches abroad | OneFootball

Uefa approved on Monday, "reluctantly" and "in an exceptional manner," the requests from the leagues of Spain and Italy to take two games to the United States and Australia, respectively, something unprecedented in the world of football.

In a statement, the executive committee of the entity reiterates, however, "its opposition to national league games played abroad" and commits to contributing to "Fifa's ongoing work" to establish strict rules in this regard.

Since the requests from the Spanish and Italian federations were made before the start of the season, the Villarreal vs. Barcelona game may be played on December 20 in Miami, and the Milan vs. Como match in Perth, at the beginning of February 2026.

The green light given by Uefa is not a surprise. Its president, Aleksander Ceferin, admitted at the beginning of September that there was a loophole since Fifa began, in May this year, a review of its rules that prohibit the holding of national league games outside their countries of origin.

The European confederation explained on Monday that "Fifa's regulations – currently under review – are not sufficiently clear and detailed" to not accommodate these requests.

"Although it is regrettable to have to allow these two matches to take place, this decision is exceptional and should not be considered a precedent," emphasized Uefa.

"Our commitment is clear: to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains rooted in its original environment," promised Ceferin, quoted in the statement.

Driven by the Spanish league about ten years ago for commercial reasons, the possibility of transferring games generated strong opposition from fans at the beginning of September.

Serie A, in turn, justifies its request for transfer by the fact that the match between Milan and Como coincides with the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.