UEFA reaffirms its opposition to domestic league matches being played abroad, but approves Barcelona & AC Milan games | OneFootball

UEFA has reaffirmed its firm opposition to domestic league matches being staged abroad, despite approving two fixtures that would break this rule.

After weeks of consultation following its Executive Committee meeting in Tirana, UEFA confirmed it would allow Barcelona’s clash with Villarreal to take place in Miami in December.

AC Milan’s meeting with Como will be held in Perth, Australia, in February. Both games were proposed by their national federations as part of efforts to boost global reach and revenue.

However, UEFA believes this move runs counter to football’s local identity. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin reiterated that league matches should be played on home soil.

He also warned that staging them elsewhere would disenfranchise loyal fans and potentially distort competitions.

Interestingly, the governing body stated that it had no choice but to approve the fixtures due to the lack of clarity in FIFA’s current regulatory framework, which is still under review.

The irony of the decision has not been lost on anyone.

UEFA’s statement described the approvals as exceptional and not a precedent, but critics will argue that approving the move is supporting it.

Detractors believe this move sends a different signal that commercial interests are taking precedence over football’s roots.

Barcelona have been pushing for the Miami showcase for some time, seeing it as an opportunity to increase La Liga’s visibility in the United States.

Serie A’s proposed Perth encounter also reflects a growing appetite among European clubs to capitalise on international fan bases and sponsorship opportunities.

UEFA insists future requests must go through stricter consultation and has urged all 55 national associations to protect the integrity of domestic leagues.

However, with clubs eager to globalise their brands, the debate over whether football is losing its sense of place might just be starting.