The main supporters’ groups have urged FIFA to block European league matches from being staged abroad. They warn of a “dangerous precedent” that could open “a Pandora’s box for football.” The warning comes just as LaLiga has requested that the Villarreal – FC Barcelona clash in December be played in Miami, with the approval of the Spanish federation. This contrasts with other powerful leagues such as the NBA and the NFL. The latter kicks off this week, with one of its games scheduled in Brazil.

In Italy, football is also considering an international move: Milan and Como plan to play in Perth, Western Australia, in February 2026. As with LaLiga, it is a far more complex process compared to the NFL, whose franchises have made it routine since 2005 to stage regular-season games outside the United States.

Fans push back against moving league games

Football Supporters Europe, the Independent Supporters Council, the Football Supporters Association Australia and Accionistas y Socios del Fútbol Español sent a letter this week to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström. They warned that moving games abroad undermines sporting integrity, disrupts the home-and-away balance and turns clubs into “entertainment products detached from their communities.” The document also highlighted the environmental cost and logistical burden of long-haul travel. “Relocating league matches abroad would set a dangerous precedent, stripping clubs of their roots and undermining the trust of supporters,” said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe.

The signatories reminded FIFA that approving these proposals would go against its own regulations, which require domestic league matches to be played within their national association’s territory. In 2024, FIFA set up a working group to review that rule, but its conclusions have yet to be communicated.

UEFA debate and growing pressure

UEFA will address the matter in its executive committee, with a debate scheduled for next Thursday. US Soccer and Concacaf must also weigh in before FIFA makes a final decision. Although Aleksander Čeferin has publicly voiced his reservations, the pressure to take big-ticket games to new international markets continues to grow.

The NFL, a pioneer in globalizing its league

The contrast with the American model is striking. The NFL staged its first international game in 2005 at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca (with more than 103,000 spectators) and launched the International Series in London in 2007. By the 2024 season, 55 regular-season games had already been played abroad, and in 2025 the league will hit a record seven fixtures.

This year’s calendar includes games in five countries: São Paulo (Chargers), Dublin (Steelers – Vikings), three dates in London (Vikings – Browns, Broncos – Jets and Rams – Jaguars), Berlin (Colts – Falcons) and Madrid, where the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders will face off on November 16 at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The NBA has also gone abroad

The NBA has followed a similar path, although on a smaller scale than the NFL. The first official regular-season game outside the United States took place in 1990 in Mexico City between the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz. Since then, close to 30 official games have been staged abroad.

London hosted annual games between 2011 and 2019 at the O2 Arena, Mexico has become a regular destination, and Paris took over the European spotlight in 2020 with the Bucks – Hornets. These experiences have consolidated the NBA as another major American league with international ambitions, incorporating official games into its global strategy.

Next steps in Europe and NFL expansion to Australia

The NFL has already confirmed it will debut in Australia in 2026 with a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the Rams designated as the home team. This will further expand its global footprint, reinforcing a strategy that combines business, entertainment and international brand growth.

In contrast, the Premier League dropped a similar project years ago. The proposal to stage a 39th round abroad was floated in 2008 but abandoned due to strong opposition from clubs, players and fans.

LaLiga, NFL, NBA, Premier League, Serie A… all are powerful leagues competing in the international market. The one winning the financial race and flexing its global power is the NFL, precisely because it has most frequently ventured outside its borders. The question remains: where is the balance between expansion and preserving the roots of a competition?