FIFA is redrafting its regulations on domestic league matches played outside their home countries, following UEFA’s reluctant approval for LaLiga’s Villarreal vs Barcelona clash in Miami and Serie A’s AC Milan vs Como fixture in Perth. The governing body is now seeking legal advice on potentially banning such games outright, amid mounting criticism that exporting domestic fixtures undermines local fans and competitive integrity.

The move comes after UEFA acknowledged “loopholes” in FIFA’s outdated 2014 rules, which currently allow matches abroad if all relevant parties — including leagues, clubs, and host federations — give consent. In a statement, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin stressed that approving the games was an “exceptional” decision that should not set a precedent. “League matches should be played on home soil,” Ceferin said. “Anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and distort competitions.”

The fate of the upcoming fixtures now lies with US Soccer and Football Australia, along with their confederations Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). US Soccer’s approval for the Miami match remains uncertain amid concerns about potential commercial harm to Major League Soccer, while a previous lawsuit by Relevent Sports over a blocked Barcelona–Girona game in 2024 adds further legal complexity. FIFA’s new regulatory framework — expected early next year — aims to close existing gaps and reaffirm the principle that domestic football belongs at home.

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