"It has been called the biggest existential threat to European football since the ill-fated Super League. Now it is on the verge of becoming reality and the implications will be far reaching if, as widely expected, La Liga and Serie A are given permission in the coming weeks to host domestic games abroad. The sport risks being ripped from its fabric should Barcelona and Villarreal be allowed to break the mould and stage a top-flight fixture in Miami this December."
"If Uefa's executive committee agrees to the plans when it convenes in Tirana on Thursday the final say will be down to Fifa, probably at a meeting of its council on 2 October. The global governing body would be unlikely to put up opposition and the question, at that point, will be just how earth-shattering a precedent has been set."
UEFA and FIFA face decisions over permitting La Liga and Serie A to stage domestic matches abroad, with proposed fixtures including Barcelona v Villarreal in Miami and Milan v Como in Perth. Approval by UEFA's executive committee would likely be followed by FIFA endorsement, creating a potent precedent. Some officials oppose the move, notably German league chair Hans-Joachim Watzke and the Bundesliga, while others seek more information. Even narrow, exceptional approvals risk normalizing foreign-based fixtures; Serie A president Ezio Simonelli has voiced interest in staging an entire first round abroad. The proposals provoke concern about fundamentally altering the sport's fabric.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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