UEFA president, Aleksandr Ceferin, will ‘reluctantly’ allow La Liga and Serie A games to be played abroad, but has claimed it ‘will not set a precedent’ for more overseas action in Europe’s biggest leagues. Villarreal and Barcelona’s La Liga clash in December 2025 will be shunted around 4,500 miles west to Miami, before AC Milan and Como head to Perth, Australia for a Serie A encounter in February 2026.
The decision has raised all sorts of questions over sporting integrity, with both Villarreal and AC Milan having to give up their traditional home games – and thus the advantage of playing in their own stadium – for what is, quite simply, a money-making exercise.
If those sides miss out on Champions League qualification or a league title, will it have been worth it? According to AC Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot, the answer is a resounding no – he described the decision as ‘completely crazy’. But Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo claimed that Rabiot and his fellow dissenters should ‘respect the money he earns’, rather than questioning the decision.
A Regrettable Decision
In a melancholic press call, Ceferin gave the impression that there was nothing he nor his governing body could do to stop the unprecedented move. UEFA had previously stated their ‘clear opposition’ to the idea of league games being played overseas, but then backtracked by claiming that there was no ‘legal framework’ to stop it from happening – effectively blaming FIFA for not having the right regulations in place. Ceferin commented:
While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent. Our commitment is clear: to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains anchored in its home environment.
Other domestic games, such as the annual Super Cups of Spanish and Italian football, have been played in – where else? – Saudi Arabia, as well as other stop-offs in Morocco, China, Qatar and the United States. That has set something of a precedent, but it was thought that competitive league and cup games would be saved from international expansion… until UEFA’s decision not to block that from happening.
Back in 2019, the Spanish Football Federation and the players’ union joined forces to prevent a La Liga game between Barcelona and Girona from going ahead. But La Liga chief Javier Tebas has continued to bang the drum, claiming that the move will ‘expand the league’s brand.’
Estimates reveal that Villarreal could score matchday revenue of £4.5 million for the game – around double what they would normally take, while reports suggest that Villarreal fans will be offered ‘free travel’ to Miami or a 30% discount on their season tickets if they prefer not to go.
Tebas has claimed that this will not be a one off, but rather an annual event for a single La Liga to be played overseas. The clash between Villarreal and Barcelona will be the first time a domestic league game in Europe has been played abroad… but seemingly it won’t be the last.
Arguments Against Overseas League Games
Supporters of domestic games being played abroad will argue that just because something hasn’t been done before, it doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be done in future. Whether Villarreal and Barcelona will pick up any new fans in the United States, or AC Milan and Como in Australia, remains to be seen however, while the financial gains are negligible – if Villarreal make £4.5 million, but then have to fork out on travel to Miami for fans and season ticket rebates, wouldn’t they be better off just banking £2.5 million from a home game at their Estadio de la Ceramica home as normal?
‘Disrespectful to the Fans’
That’s before we get onto the notion of La Liga and Serie A effectively tarnishing decades worth of history for a quick cash grab… There are two main groups that will suffer from competitive games being played abroad mid-season: the fans and the players. The clubs involved are affronting their loyal fanbase; irrespective of promises of free travel or partial refunds on season tickets. Even the players recognise it, with Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon describing La Liga’s plan as ‘disrespectful to the fans.’
The games in Miami and Perth are the perfect case in point. The clubs may be paying for air travel, but what about the costs of accommodation, taxis and/or public transport, hospitality and the need to perhaps take time off work? The plans simply pay no heed to the needs of supporters, without whom football would be a husk of itself.
Different Standards
The games themselves will be entirely different to standard La Liga or Serie A fare. Any atmosphere generated will be artificial, with tourists replacing fans on the terraces – a similar theme is already being witnessed at iconic grounds like Anfield, Old Trafford and the Bernabeu, where hard-up locals are being priced out and replaced by one-off visitors wanting the match day experience… not to enjoy themselves, but to share with their Instagram followers.
At Villarreal vs Barcelona specifically, the ‘home’ fans will likely be outnumbered by the ‘away’ – Messi fever in Miami, where the legendary Argentine now plays his club football, will surely see more supporters pledging their allegiance to Barca than El Submarino Amarillo. The integrity of La Liga and Serie A is at stake too, with both Villarreal and AC Milan giving up home advantage in what could be important games in the shake-up of their respective campaigns. Frenkie de Jong, the Barcelona midfielder, told Spanish newspaper Marca:
It’s not fair for the competition that we have to play an away match on neutral ground. I don’t like it and I don’t think it’s right for the players.
Players Travelling Across Timezones
Lest we forget the welfare of the players, who will have to travel across timezones in the middle of an already-packed schedule to satisfy the commercialisation needs of their employers. Are the eligible financial returns of playing domestic games abroad really worth it?
