EU criticizes overseas league fixtures by LaLiga and Serie A

European Union sport commissioner Glenn Micallef has sharply criticised plans by Spain and Italy's top football leagues to stage regular season matches outside Europe, calling the proposals a betrayal of fans and the continent's sporting identity. The dispute puts recent approvals by national federations into political doubt and raises questions about governance, fan representation and the future commercialisation of domestic competitions.

LaLiga has requested permission for Barcelona to face Villarreal at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in December 2025, while Serie A has sought approval to stage AC Milan v Como in Perth, Australia, in February 2026. Italian officials say the Milan fixture is proposed for the period when San Siro will be unavailable because of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony. National federations in Spain and Italy have backed the applications, but final clearances from UEFA, FIFA, Football Australia and the Asian Football Confederation are still required.

Micallef, the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, said he was “deeply disappointed by proposals to stage domestic league matches outside Europe.”...