Barcelona in Miami?! UEFA Approves Historic League Games Abroad
Football history is being made — and not everyone is happy about it.
For the first time ever, Europe’s top leagues will play official matches outside their home continent. UEFA has approved requests from La Liga and Serie A to take one game each overseas this winter — a move that’s already sparking fierce debate among fans.
Barcelona will face Villarreal in Miami this December, while AC Milan meet Como in Perth, Australia, in February. It’s a bold step that breaks decades of tradition, with domestic league games leaving home soil for the first time.
A reluctant green light
UEFA says it only approved the plans because football’s current rules don’t clearly forbid them. In a statement, the governing body said it still strongly opposes domestic matches being played abroad — but had no legal grounds to reject the proposals.
“It’s an exceptional case and should not be seen as a precedent,” said UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin. “League games should belong to their fans at home. Moving them abroad risks changing the spirit of competition.”
Even with that warning, many believe the door has now been opened. Some fear that more clubs will try to take their games overseas to chase bigger audiences and sponsorships.
Legal battles and fan backlash
The idea of playing league games abroad isn’t new — but it’s always been controversial. A U.S. promoter first tried to stage a Barcelona vs Girona match in Miami back in 2018, but FIFA blocked it. Since then, the issue has lingered, with no clear rulebook to stop it.
Fan groups across Europe have condemned the move. Football Supporters Europe praised UEFA for at least voicing opposition but called on FIFA to “close the regulatory loophole” once and for all.
“The responsibility now lies with FIFA,” the group said. “Fans should never lose access to their home games.”
The bigger picture
UEFA insists that these two fixtures are one-offs and that national leagues should remain rooted in their home countries. Behind closed doors, however, insiders admit they faced a tough choice — rejecting the games could have led to legal fights they might have lost.
The Premier League has already confirmed it won’t follow suit, saying it will not move any domestic fixtures abroad.
Still, with Barcelona heading to Miami and Milan jetting off to Perth, this winter will mark a turning point. Football’s global future might have just begun — whether Europe’s fans like it or not.
