European Leagues Defend Plans to Stage Matches Abroad Amid EU Criticism
Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s LaLiga are standing firm against criticism from EU Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef regarding their proposals to host domestic league matches outside Europe, which he labeled a “betrayal” of fans.
Serie A has scheduled a match between AC Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, for February, while LaLiga aims to move Villarreal’s clash with Barcelona to Miami in December. Micallef expressed his disappointment on social media, asserting, “European competitions must be played in Europe. European football must stay in Europe.” He emphasized that clubs owe their success to loyal fans, stating that moving matches abroad is not innovation but rather a betrayal.
In response, Serie A issued a statement expressing astonishment at Micallef’s remarks, arguing that he underestimated the “complexity and strategic value” of initiatives designed to promote Italian football on a global scale. The league noted, “To speak of betrayal for a single match, out of a total of 380 Serie A matches, seems an excessive position, which risks fueling a populist debate.” They clarified that taking a match abroad does not equate to exporting the championship but rather introducing new audiences to the excellence of Italian football.
LaLiga President Javier Tebas supported Serie A’s stance, emphasizing that there are “thousands of fans, including Europeans,” around the world who deserve the opportunity to see their teams play live. He added, “I understand the concern, but we need to put things into perspective: we are talking about one match out of 380.” Tebas pointed out that other projects, such as the NBA-FIBA European league, disrupt the traditional European sports model, yet receive less alarm.
Both the Italian Football Federation and the Spanish FA have approved their leagues’ proposals, but the matches still require the green light from UEFA and FIFA before they can proceed.
