World football’s governing body, FIFA, is reportedly considering a major policy change that could ban domestic league fixtures from being staged in foreign countries.
According to Goal, FIFA has begun seeking legal advice on how to adjust its current regulations to prevent leagues from taking games overseas — a move that has sparked debate across the global football community.
The development follows UEFA’s reluctant approval of upcoming fixtures set to be played outside Europe, including Villarreal vs Barcelona in Miami and AC Milan vs Como in Perth.
FIFA is said to be working on a more comprehensive rulebook, expected to be finalized by early next year, to address what it describes as growing controversy around the trend of taking domestic matches abroad for commercial gain.
The organization’s 2014 statutes currently do not give it the authority to block such games as long as all relevant football bodies — leagues, clubs, and national associations — give their consent.
UEFA has defended its approval of the matches, saying it was constrained by loopholes in outdated FIFA regulations, further prompting the governing body to revisit the issue.
If implemented, the new rules could have far-reaching implications for leagues and clubs hoping to expand their global reach through international fixtures.
