NAON, Switzerland (AP) – Football fans from over 400 European club support groups urged FIFA and UEFA on Wednesday to block requests from Spanish and Italian leagues. Playing games overseas.
The Spanish Football Federation approved Barcelona’s plan to play Villarreal in Miami in December, and Serie A hopes to host COMO in Perth, Australia in February.
Ahead of the UEFA Executive Committee meeting next week in Albania, the officially recognized Fun Liaison Group’s soccer supporters were aiming to show the scale of Europe’s opposition to a “outside of terrorist” game, which includes Villarreal’s fan groups.
“We call on UEFA, FIFA and all national associations to endure firmly and act as a gaming regulator,” the FSE Group said Wednesday with support from fan groups from 25 countries.
“The clubs are neither entertainment companies nor travel circus. They exist for the benefit of the community and provide a sense of belonging where fans are participating in home games for generations,” FSE said.
Critics of the plan, including Glen Mikalev, the top sports officer for the European Commission in Brussels, say the integrity of the league’s sports is also disproportionate and damaged.
Once the Barcelona or AC Milan game can move, the fan group warned that “the Pandora box will be opened immediately with unpredictable and irreversible results.”
A fresh suggestion for moving domestic leagues abroad was once inevitable. FIFA withdraws from the trial This was raised last year by promotional agency Relevent in New York.
Relevent was co-founded by Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins. Hard Rock Stadium is set to host the Villarreal-Barcelona game that will help the club build a global fanbase and brand.
Barcelona has struggled financially for several years, and Miami is also the place currently played by iconic former star Lionel Messi in Inter Miami, Major League Soccer.
Relevent is also one of the current ones UEFA’s most important commercial partnerseals this year’s contract to sell broadcasts and sponsorship rights for the Champions League and other European Club competitions for six years starting in 2027.
UEFA’s ruling party committee will meet in Tirana on September 11th, with President Alexander Ceferin serving as chair. He proposed last week that UEFA must talk to FIFA, and now there is limited legal authority to stop games overseas if the National Federation agrees to them.
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