UEFA Delays Decision on La Liga, Serie A Matches Abroad Amid Fan Opposition

UEFA has postponed decisions on proposals by Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A to hold domestic league matches outside Europe, specifically Barcelona's game against Villarreal in Miami and AC Milan's match against Como in Perth. The executive committee, meeting in Tirana, Albania, emphasized the importance of consulting all stakeholders, including fan groups, before making a final ruling. These proposals have faced strong opposition from more than 500 fan groups within Football Supporters Europe, who argue that moving games abroad undermines community ties and sporting integrity. The European Commission's top sports official criticized the Miami game plan as a betrayal of European football values. While La Liga and Serie A seek to expand their global fan bases and compete with the English Premier League's international popularity, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has expressed discomfort with hosting matches outside Europe. UEFA plans to conduct a comprehensive consultation process and has not set a final decision date, reflecting the complexity and controversy surrounding overseas domestic fixtures.