UEFA delays decision on proposals to stage LaLiga and Serie A matches outside Europe

UEFA has postponed a decision on requests from the Spanish and Italian federations to hold one domestic league match each outside UEFA territory, saying it will consult all stakeholders — including fans — before reaching a conclusion.

The governing body's executive committee met to discuss proposals from the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) that would see Barcelona's league fixture against Villarreal played in Miami and AC Milan's home game against Como staged in Australia. In a statement, UEFA said the requests were "an important and growing issue" but that "there are many issues to resolve" and that it had a responsibility to take all factors into account. "As a result, no decision was taken today but UEFA will undertake a round of consultation with all stakeholders in European football - including fans," the statement said.

The RFEF approved LaLiga's proposal in July to play the Barcelona–Villarreal fixture at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, while the FIGC has backed Serie A's interest in moving AC Milan's derby against Como to Perth. Both proposals have been awaiting approval from UEFA and FIFA; a decision had been expected this week but was put on hold.

If cleared, the matches would mark the first time fixtures from Europe's top five leagues were played outside the continent. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has previously voiced scepticism about the idea, telling Politico last month that he and the governing body were "not happy" with the proposals. "Football should be played in Europe, fans should watch football at home, they cannot travel to Australia or the U.S. to watch their teams," he said.

The proposals have prompted strong pushback from players and supporters. The Spanish Players' Association (AFE) said all 20 LaLiga captains opposed playing a league game outside Spain, voicing concerns about a "lack of dialogue and information" from the RFEF and LaLiga. In a statement, the AFE said the initiative was "disrespectful to the players, as it involves changes at a sporting level in addition to travel outside the country as workers within the framework of a domestic league." The league captains who met to discuss the request include figures from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Logistical complications have been highlighted in coverage of the proposals. The Barcelona–Villarreal fixture is currently scheduled for Dec. 21; reports said fitting the game into the NFL stadium calendar in Miami could be difficult because the Miami Dolphins are due to play at Hard Rock Stadium around the same time. The Spanish Cup round-of-32 is expected to take place between Dec. 16 and Dec. 18, a schedule that could further complicate any U.S. staging. Organisers also face travel, broadcast and sporting-integrity questions tied to time zones and players' workloads.

AC Milan's fixture against Como in February has been described as in need of a venue; the club's home stadium is reported to be unavailable at the beginning of the month. Serie A officials have argued that such moves could expand the leagues' global reach, while opponents have warned about the impact on local supporters and the domestic competition structure.

UEFA said it will carry out a round of consultations with all parties involved, without setting a new date for a final decision. Any approval by UEFA would also require agreement from FIFA and cooperation from the leagues, clubs, broadcasters and domestic competition calendars. For now, the proposals remain on hold as European football's governing body seeks further input from fans, players and other stakeholders.