FC Barcelona and AC Milan, the club of Zachary Athekame and the injured Ardon Jashari, will play a league match in the USA and Australia in December and February respectively.
06.10.2025, 20:29
06.10.2025, 21:43
SDA
UEFA approved the requests of the Spanish and Italian leagues on Monday. If it has its way, they will remain exceptions. The European continental association emphasized that the approval was given "reluctantly" and "exceptionally". The relevant FIFA regulations, which are currently being revised, are "not clear and detailed enough" to allow for a different decision, UEFA explained.
UEFA announced that the match between Villarreal and FC Barcelona on December 21 will take place in Miami on a date yet to be determined. Serie A intends to play the AC Milan - Como match in Perth on February 6, the day of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan.
"It is regrettable that these two matches have to take place, but this decision is an exception and must not be seen as a precedent," Ceferin assured. "Our commitment is clear: we want to protect the integrity of the national leagues and ensure that football remains anchored in its domestic environment."
While the Spanish league has been pushing ahead with efforts to play league matches abroad for around ten years, the plans have met with great disapproval from domestic fans. Serie A cited the Olympic Games as the reason for the request to play in Perth.
