Simply days after UEFA lastly permitted the 2 proposals coming from the Spanish LaLiga and the Italian Serie A to play two league matches overseas later this season, regardless of opposing the thought, LaLiga formally introduced the Barcelona vs. Villarreal match for Dec. 20 at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami.
“We’re trying ahead to assembly all our followers in america once more, and we thank LaLiga for the chance to get nearer to one of many membership’s major strategic markets. We have been visiting the nation for a few years and have at all times felt the fervour that FC Barcelona conjures up,” Barca president Joan Laporta mentioned in a launch. “As a worldwide membership with hundreds of thousands of supporters all over the world, this chance reinforces our dedication to worldwide followers, particularly in such a key market because the U.S. An official match in a metropolis like Miami, with a big culé group, will undoubtedly be an awesome spectacle that includes two groups competing on the highest degree.”
AC Milan will face Como in Perth, Australia, in February, pending official affirmation from Serie A.
“UEFA has at the moment reiterated its clear opposition to home league matches being performed outdoors their dwelling nation. After the assembly of its Govt Committee in Tirana final month, UEFA undertook additional consultations with stakeholders to evaluate the extent of the implications of the problem, following the functions it acquired from the Spanish and Italian nationwide soccer associations. That session confirmed the widespread lack of help that had already been raised by followers, different leagues, golf equipment, gamers and European establishments across the idea of home league matches being relocated overseas,” the assertion learn.
“Nonetheless, provided that the related FIFA regulatory framework — presently beneath evaluation — isn’t clear and detailed sufficient, the UEFA Govt Committee has reluctantly taken the choice to approve, on an distinctive foundation, the 2 requests referred to it. UEFA will actively contribute to the continued work led by FIFA to make sure that future guidelines uphold the integrity of home competitions and the shut bond between golf equipment, their supporters and native communities. In parallel, all UEFA nationwide associations confirmed their dedication to have interaction with UEFA earlier than submitting any future requests. In doing so, they voiced their collective willpower to safeguard the broader pursuits of European soccer.”
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin added, “League matches must be performed on dwelling soil, anything would disenfranchise loyal match-going followers and probably introduce distortive components in competitions. Our session confirmed the breadth of those issues. I want to thank the 55 nationwide associations for his or her constructive and accountable engagement on such a delicate challenge. Whereas it’s regrettable to need to let these two video games go forward, this determination is phenomenal and shall not be seen as setting a precedent. Our dedication is obvious: to guard the integrity of nationwide leagues and make sure that soccer stays anchored in its dwelling setting”.
AC Milan will face Como on Feb. 6 in Perth as their dwelling stadium, San Siro, will host the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Video games that may happen in Italy subsequent yr, whereas Barcelona will face Villarreal in Miami in December (the date will probably be confirmed later) in what would be the first ever LaLiga and Serie A video games performed outdoors the international locations.
