Liga games from Spain and Italy abroad? The UEFA is required

Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s series want to move regular league games abroad. The UEFA Executive Committee should deal with the question on Thursday, because UEFA is required for such relocations. The decision can have far -reaching consequences, the UEFA is now postponed.

What exactly is it about?

Spain’s league wants to play the game between FC Villarreal and FC Barcelona on December 20, 2025 in Miami in the USA. Games abroad have long been an issue in the leadership of Italy’s series A. Now because of the 2026 Winter Olympics, the game of AC Milan is to be moved against Como on February 6, 2026 – to Perth in Australia, 14,000 kilometers away from Milan.

The grant to an international audience has long been considered a key to new income in the football business. The national associations from Spain and Italy have already approved the project.

What does the UEFA have to do with it?

The UEFA must approve such relocations. In the statutes it is stipulated that the clubs such games “Only with the prior approval of the UEFA” may play. On Thursday (2 p.m.) a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee will take place in the Albanian capital Tirana.

At the request of the sports show, the UEFA shared: “The topic will be discussed this week at the meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee in Tirana. There is no concrete coordination on this topic.” A vote on the approval of the game litigation is therefore postponed.

At meetings of the UEFA Executive Committee, DFB Vice President and UEFA Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke is entitled to vote, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf is approved as an observer. According to the UEFA, a press conference is not planned after the session, the outcome of the session is reported in writing.

Why is the decision so important?

It’s not just about two individual games. The fear of fan organizations is that the “Pandora rifle” is opened. In the meantime, more than 500 fan groups from more than 25 countries signed a statement by the European Fan Alliance Football Supporters Europe (FSE). In Spain, local fan groups and the player union criticized.

It says: “Fan scenes worldwide would be exposed to the risk of taking away their favorite team and being shipped to the other end of the world for a game or even several games.”

The fear: If the precedents are there and the basic principle is levered out, leagues and clubs will be able to rely on them in the future. The UEFA, the FIFA and all national associations are asked to reject the plans of the leagues, writes FSE.

So far, what about this?

Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin recently made herself critical of: “I don’t think that’s a good thing”he told the “Politico” portal. “The fans should watch football at home. They cannot travel to Australia or the USA to see their teams.”

However, he opened the door to the gap, through which the two games from Spain and Italy could fit. “If it is an exception, good. If there is a reason. But basically European teams should play in Europe.” The game from Spain could be one “Exception” be that from Italy has one with the winter games “Reason”. In addition, Ceferer restricted the UEFA in view of the promise of the associations from Spain and Italy “Little scope” Having – however, the requirement of approval by UEFA is clearly noted in its own statutes.

What legal problems are there?

The current procedure requires many steps: The Spanish game in the USA must be approved by Spain’s association, the US association, the UEFA and the North American counterpart to the UEFA, the Concacaf. FIFA must also be integrated.

But that could change. The marketing agency relevant in 2019 wanted to bring a game of the Spanish league between FC Girona and FC Barcelona to Miami, which was blocked by the associations. Relevant complained against FIFA. But the dispute was enclosed because the FIFA promised an examination of the rules and used a working group. This should also be involved “Private companies involved in the organization of international games or competitions”. So organizations like relevant.

The results of the working group have not yet been published by FIFA. Be required “Criteria for the approval of such games or competitions”according to FIFA 2024. Various factors are to be taken into account, such as the amount/frequency of games abroad, travel traps for players or whether it is possible for fans of the clubs. The general possibility of blockade of such games as in the case of relevant could be taken away from the associations.

Which sports policy Level is there?

A clear signal came from EU policy. The Social Democrat Glenn Micallef from Malta has been EU sports commissioner since 2024. He was disappointed with the plans and is in solidarity at the side of the fans, he said. “This is the first major stress test for the association management since the Super League”Micallef also wrote with a view of the UEFA. He called a laying of the games “Betrayal”. The European institutions and organized fan scenes in many countries were important UEFA allies in the fight against the Super League.

The same applies to the national leagues and the vast majority of clubs – which in the question of games abroad now have different wishes. The UEFA will find it difficult to serve all interests.

In addition, the impression of a conflict of interest can arise. The marketing agency relevant, which complained of the blockade of the game laying, markets the Champions League on behalf of the UEFA and the club association ECA. By 2027, the UEFA and ECA will be active in the USA, from 2027 it will market the Champions League worldwide. It thus ensures the largest source of income from the UEFA, which is now responsible for the approval of a business of relevant. Relevant belongs to the US; billionaire Stephen Ross, who also has the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where the game is to take place from Spain.

Could German games be laid in the future?

If the door is now opened for such relocations, game laying from Germany would also be conceivable in the long term. At least in the short and medium term, the DFL excluded such steps. “As long as I am responsible in the league, there will be no competitive games abroad. Point. That is not capable of interpretation”said DFL Presidium spokesman Hans-Joachim Watzke last week. When asked by the Sportschau, the DFL confirmed that the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup also falls under the term “competitive games”.

Does that stay that way in the long term? In the DFL statute, the Presidium is at least given the opportunity to move the Supercup abroad. Bayer Leverkusen’s managing director Fernando Carro had spoken several times for relocating the supercup and brought the USA into play as a venue. France, Spain and Italy have been organizing their supercups abroad for years.

Internationally, Watzke restricted the topic: “I think there are more people in UEFA who have to determine that. My position is clear whether this will be the majority opinion.