Will La Liga, Serie A Games Be Hosted Outside of Europe?

UEFA has delayed its decision to take a call on whether European league games can be played outside Europe. This comes after multiple requests from La Liga to schedule the Villareal vs Barcelona game in the USA, most likely in Miami, Florida. In 2026, northern and northeastern cities of Italy, including Milan, are all set to host the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Amidst a possible congestion in the schedule, the Serie A has proposed the plan of hosting the Inter vs Como game in Perth, Australia. There have been mixed reactions from fans after the matter gained a lot of attention in the public domain. In this feature, we shall find out if scheduling regular league games outside Europe is feasible or it is just another marketing gimmick to mint more money?

European Football Can Expand Beyond the Continent

Many top European clubs, such as Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and FC Barcelona, regularly schedule their pre-season games outside Europe to attract major fan bases in various parts of the world. Also, the arrival of club legends in places outside Europe witnesses massive crowds. Big matches abroad can attract enormous broadcasting deals. A good example for this would be Paris SG, which plays many global exhibition tournaments, which bring them multi-billion dollar commercial deals. Playing regular league games outside Europe might significantly boost the viewership of other league games like La Liga and Serie A to match the Premier League levels.

Why is UEFA Delaying the Approval?

UEFA has delayed the decision, keeping in mind that the integrity of the game remains uncompromised. The UEFA Executive Committee said, "We need more time to weigh proposals by the Spanish and Italian leagues and talk more with fan groups." While clubs like Barca and Villareal are pushing harder to get a green light, arch rivals Real Madrid have strictly rejected this proposal, saying, "Real Madrid wishes to express to its members, supporters and football fans in general its firm rejection of the proposal."

The home fans might feel alienated and disrespected due to the absence of the local home crowd in European games. For example, a match between AC Milan and Napoli in Mumbai would lack traditional home-field dynamics. Also, playing regular league games outside Europe can lead to long flights and exhaustion for players, who will have to travel miles away to feature in a game.