Browsing: FIFA

“Through the Fifa social media protection service (SMPS) and by deploying advanced technology and human expertise, Fifa is taking decisive action to protect players, coaches, teams, and match officials from the serious harm that online abuse causes.”

Fifa set up the SMPS in 2022 with players’ union Fifpro to monitor, report and block abusive content.

Fifa was criticised after it appeared to drop anti-racism messaging at the Club World Cup, which was held in the US this summer, but SMPS was used.

A Fifa statement read: “During the tournament SMPS monitored 2,401 active accounts across five social media platforms covering players, coaches, teams and match officials participating at the groundbreaking tournament, with 5.9m posts analysed, 179,517 flagged for review and 20,587 reported to the relevant platforms.”

Infantino said: “Our message is clear: abuse has no place in our game, and we will continue to work with our member associations, the confederations and law enforcement authorities to hold offenders accountable.

“This behaviour has no place in football or in society and Fifa is taking all possible steps by reporting these incidents and also by blacklisting individuals from purchasing tickets for Fifa tournaments.”

Fifa said more than 65,000 abusive posts have been reported to social media platforms since the SMPS was created.

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Lionel Messi, who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, hopes to be on the field when the “Albiceleste†defend their crown in North America. (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Lionel Messi wants to play for Argentina in next year’s World Cup, but he says he will listen to his body before deciding whether he can make that dream come true. The 38-year-old striker for Inter Miami of MLS led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and yearns to be on the field when the “Albiceleste” defend the crown next year in North America.Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi told NBC News in an interview broadcast on Monday that he will see next year how his body feels before deciding on whether or not he can play in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.”It’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup and I would love to,” said Messi, who turns 39 next June.”I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.”And I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision.”Messi, who has been playing professionally since 2004, wants the chance for one more star turn on football’s biggest stage.”I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup. We’re coming off winning the last World Cup and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it’s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions.”Messi, who debuted with Barcelona in La Liga at age 17, joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and moved to MLS in 2023.”The truth is that I like everything about living here,” Messi said of Miami.”I spent a lot of time in Barcelona, which for me is an extraordinary city, where I grew up and had many spectacular moments, and which we miss a lot.”But Miami is a city that allows us to live very well, that makes us enjoy life, that allows us to be calm, that allows the kids to be themselves and live day to day.”Messi has 195 appearances for the Argentine national team, scoring 114 goals.

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Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney is presented with a novelty World Cup ticket by FIFA President Gianni Infantino (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP) FIFA officially launched the second phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup on Monday, putting another 1 million tickets up for grabs. This new phase marks the opening of a global ticket draw, which will run until 11 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday. A key feature of this round is the domestic exclusivity window for residents of the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico. During this period, local fans whose entries are selected in the draw will have the first chance to buy single-match tickets for games held in their respective countries. According to Heimo Schirgi, FIFAâ€s Chief Operating Officer for the tournament, interest in tickets has already been “massive†both globally and within the host nations. “This second phase, with its host country domestic exclusivity time slot, will allow us to say thank you to these local fans, while ensuring global opportunity as well,†Schirgi said. Fans from the three host nations can enter the draw until Friday. Winners will be randomly selected and granted a specific time slot between November 12 and 15 to make their ticket purchases. Notifications will be sent out at least 48 hours in advance. So far, residents of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico have led ticket purchases, followed by fans from England, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and France. After the domestic phase ends, more slots will open globally from November 17, with further sales rounds to follow. Over 1 million tickets have already been sold, with fans from 212 countries purchasing seats. Twenty-eight of the 48 teams have qualified so far. Despite the buzz, logistical questions remain, especially around visa requirements for international visitors amid stricter U.S. immigration rules. Earlier this month, an Argentina friendly featuring Lionel Messi had to be shifted from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale due to slow ticket sales, which some linked to visa concerns. The 2026 World Cup, set across 16 venues in North America, will feature 104 matches and an estimated 7.1 million available seats. While FIFA hasnâ€t disclosed how many will be released to the public, base ticket prices started at $60 for select games, with premium seats — such as those for the U.S. opening match in Inglewood — priced between $560 and $2,735. In a first for the World Cup, FIFA will use dynamic pricing, meaning ticket costs could rise or fall based on demand — a move that might push prices even higher on resale markets, where some listings have already crossed $60,000.

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Oct 26, 2025, 09:37 AM ET

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Pongsapak “Fifa” Laopakdee rallied from a six-shot deficit with a 4-under 68 and beat 16-year-old Taisei Nagasaki of Japan on the third playoff to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur, sending him to the Masters and the Open Championship next year.

Laopakdee, a junior at Arizona State, became the first player from Thailand to win the championship that began in 2010.

The winning shot for Laopakdee turned out to be a 6-iron that cleared the water with inches to spare on the 18th of the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club, staying on the slope just beyond the yellow hazard line. From there, it was a simple up-and-down for his fifth straight birdie dating to the 17th hole in regulation.

Laopakdee said he had told Arizona State coach Matt Thurmond, “I’ll win this event and be the first Thai amateur to play in the Masters.”

He looked into the camera after it was over and said, “Coach, I did it!”

Nagasaki, who started the final round with a five-shot lead over Rintaro Nakano, was tied with Laopakdee after a two-shot swing on the 15th hole. But the Japanese teen responded by making an 18-foot birdie on the 16th, driving the reachable par-4 17th for a birdie and hit an exquisite chip to 4 feet on the par-5 closing hole.

But he missed the birdie putt for the win, closing with a 74 to join Laopakdee at 15-under 273. Laopakdee had to get up-and-down from a back bunker to birdie the last two. He shot 5-under 32 on the back nine.

“After I finished 18, I didn’t even know I shot 5-under par on the back nine,” Laopakdee said. “It was amazing golf. Shout out to Taisei. He made my life so hard.”

More sensational shots followed in the playoff. Nagasaki chose to lay up on the 18th and clipped a wedge over the water to 2 feet for birdie to stay in the playoff after Laopakdee made birdie from behind the green.

Laopakdee used his power to set up another simple up-and-down on the reachable 17th in the playoff, and Nagasaki matched his birdie with another superb pitch.

But on the 18th for the third playoff hole, Nagasaki went well left of the green, and his chip from a sticky lie came out heavy and left him some 35 feet away. He two-putted for par.

“Very disappointed,” Nagasaki said through an interpreter as he used his shirt to wipe away tears. “I really struggled to make a score.”

Nakano closed with a 71 and finished third for the second straight year.

Players of India (in blue) and Singapore vie for the ball during their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier football match, in Goa. (PTI Photo) India’s men’s senior national football team has dropped to 136th place in the latest FIFA World Rankings, marking their lowest position since November 2016.The team’s new ranking coincides with their elimination from both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifications.India’s football journey has seen significant changes in recent times. After achieving success in the 2023 Intercontinental Cup, SAFF Championship, and Tri-Nation Series, the team’s performance has declined considerably.Their promising period, which had helped them reach the top 100 rankings, was followed by a disappointing AFC Asian Cup campaign in Qatar. The team failed to score any goals and suffered three consecutive defeats in the group stage.The national team’s leadership has undergone multiple changes, with three different head coaches in less than two years. Igor Å timac was replaced by Manolo Márquez, who was later succeeded by Khalid Jamil.Under Jamil’s leadership, the team showed some tactical improvements during the CAFA Nations Cup friendly tournament. However, their competitive match results have remained unsatisfactory.The team’s most recent competitive victory was against Kuwait in November 2023, with a score of 1-0.In the global rankings, Spain maintains its position at the top, followed by Argentina and France in second and third places respectively. The top eight positions are completed by England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Belgium.Germany has moved up two positions to 10th place after winning their qualifying matches against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. Croatia has moved down to 11th position following their draw with the Czech Republic.The rankings will play a crucial role in determining the seedings for the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup draw scheduled for December 5. The United States, Canada, and Mexico, as co-hosts, will be placed in the top-seed pot along with the nine highest-ranked direct qualifiers, likely including Germany.

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Watch Argentina vs Colombia today for a South American clash in the semi-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, with all the details here on live streaming globally.

Argentina vs Colombia: Key information

► Date:Wednesday, 15 October 2025

► Kick-off time:6pm local time / 7pm ET / 12am BST (midnight Thurs)

► Venue:Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos, Chile

► FREE stream: FIFA+ (select territories), SBS On Demand (Australia)

► Watch from anywhere:Use NordVPN to unblock your usual stream

Argentina are arguably the favourites, with a greater historic track record in the U-20 World Cup and the greater form this tournament. In fact, the Albiceleste have won a record six U-20 World Cup titles, and they’ve won every single game they’ve played so far, topping Group D before easing past Nigeria and Mexico in the knockout rounds.

The FIFA+ streaming service is providing a free live stream in certain territories, including the UK. The stream, however, is geo-restricted in countries that have a dedicated broadcast deal in place, including the USA and both Argentina and Colombia.

Additionally, public broadcaster SBS has free live coverage of Argentina vs Colombia in the FIFA U20 World Cup, streaming via SBS On Demand.

Away from home right now? A good VPN such as NordVPN will unblock your usual streaming services even while you’re abroad – more on that below.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

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Watch Morocco vs France today to see two sets of youngsters battle it out for a place in the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, with all the details here on live streaming globally.

Morocco vs France: Key information

► Date:Wednesday, 15 October 2025

► Kick-off time:4pm local time / 5pm ET / 9pm BST

► Venue:Estadio Elias Figueroa Brander, Chile

► FREE stream: FIFA+ (select territories), SBS On Demand (Australia)

► Watch from anywhere:Use NordVPN to unblock your usual stream

Morocco topped Group C before getting past South Korea and then the USA in the knockout rounds.

The FIFA+ streaming service is providing a free live stream in certain territories, including the UK. The stream, however, is geo-restricted in countries that have a dedicated broadcast deal in place, including the USA.

Additionally, public broadcaster SBS has free live coverage of Morocco vs France in the FIFA U20 World Cup, streaming via SBS On Demand.

Away from home right now? A good VPN such as NordVPN will unblock your usual streaming services even while you’re abroad – more on that below.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is less than a year away from us. And so, the qualification for the biggest football competition in the world is well underway. Hundreds of countries from six continents vied for 48 sports in the largest FIFA World Cup of all time, which will be played in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Today, we will look at the teams that have qualified for next yearâ€s World Cup. While we are still months away from the tournament, several teams from all continental confederations have already stamped their ticket for the World Cup.

CONCACAF (North America)

So far, out of the 48 spots, 28 are already filled. Out of these, three teams were already confirmed for the competition even before the qualification started, those being Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America. As hosts, they automatically qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Speaking of the hosts, there are three out of six (possibly seven) teams that will play in the World Cup from CONCACAF, the North American football federation. The 12 remaining teams, besides the hosts, were put into three groups of four each. The teams that top these groups will qualify.

Check Out:Teams Qualified For FIFA World Cup 2026

While Suriname, Curacao, and Honduras are currently on top of groups A, B, and C, respectively, this round of qualification will end on November 18, when we will find out the remaining three CONCACAF qualified teams.  But thatâ€s not all, as out of the three teams that finish second in these groups, two will make it to the Inter-confederation play-offs as a final chance to qualify for the World Cup.

CONMEBOL (South America)

From there, we travel south to CONMEBOL, the South American federation. Out of the 10 teams here, six will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the team that finishes seventh will go to the play-off.

This group is the first federation that is completely done with its qualification. And so, we have the teams that will play in the World Cup. Argentina, the defending champions, finished on top of the table with a whopping 38 points.

The next five teams, those being Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay, all finished on 28 points each. While it was a fine qualifying round for all these teams, Brazil’s finishing fifth was surely surprising.

The team that made it to the intercontinental play-off from CONMEBOL is Bolivia, while Venezuela, Peru, and Chile missed out on a chance to participate in footballâ€s biggest tournament.

UEFA (Europe)

Next up is UEFA, the European confederation. Not only has Europe produced the most FIFA World Cup-winning teams, but the continent also has the most slots in the upcoming edition. Here, 54 nations are competing for 16 open slots in the confederation with the most complex qualification process.

The 54 countries are divided into 12 groups of either four or five teams. Groups A to F are of four teams each, while groups G to L are of five teams each. After each side in a group plays their allotted six or eight (depending on group size) games, the team that finishes on top of their group will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, the 12 teams that finished as the runners-up in their groups will go into the next qualifying round. These 12 teams will be joined by four teams with the best Nations League rankings that failed to finish either first or second in their group.

Check Out:Teams Qualified For FIFA World Cup 2026

These 16 teams will then compete in the second round of qualification. And four out of these 16 will qualify for the World Cup. The result makes a total of 16 UEFA teams that will play in the biggest football World Cup ever.

While several heavy-hitters have all but qualified, there is only one UEFA team at the moment to have officially found a berth on the World Cup train, that being England. Harry Kaneâ€s team is confirmed to top group K, even though they still have two games to play. Having won all six of their qualifying matches so far, they are on top of the group with 18 points.

CAF (Africa)

Let us travel to Africa next, and the CAF federation has nine direct slots for World Cup qualification, the second most for any continent. The 54 teams vying for a qualification slot were divided into nine groups of six teams each. The first round, which has concluded, saw each team play 10 matches in a group, and the group winner directly qualified for the World Cup. Meanwhile, the four best-performing second-placed teams will go into round two, the winner of which will go into the intercontinental play-off.

The six teams that have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by finishing on top of their group are Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, the Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia, and Ghana.

On the other hand, the four teams that qualified for the second round are Gabon, DR Congo, Cameroon, and Nigeria.

AFC (Asia)

We travel to Asia next, as 46 AFC teams compete for eight direct qualification spots and one place in the intercontinental play-off. The first round saw the 20 lowest-ranked teams in the federation play for 10 spots in round two.

In the second round, the remaining 36 teams were divided into nine groups of four teams each. The top two finishing teams from each group made it to the third round, where the remaining 18 teams were divided into three groups of six teams each.

The teams that finished in the top two in their group in the third round qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, the third- and fourth-placed teams from each group made it to the fourth and final round.

Here, the remaining six teams were divided into two groups of three teams each. The teams that topped their group in the fourth round qualified for the World Cup. And now, the second-placed teams in the fourth round will compete for a place in the play-off.

The Asian teams that qualified for next yearâ€s competition in the third round of qualifying are Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Japan, and Australia. Qatar and Saudi Arabia qualified after topping their group in the fourth round.

The UAE and Iraq are the two teams that will compete for the one AFC spot in the intercontinental play-off.

Check Out:Teams Qualified For FIFA World Cup 2026

OFC (Oceania)

And lastly, we come to the Oceania Football Federation, or the OFC. This was the only federation that did not have a confirmed spot in the FIFA World Cup before. But now with the 48-team extended tournament, they have one direct spot into the World Cup, while one team will go into the intercontinental play-off.

Out of the 11 teams in this confederation, the four lowest teams competed in the first round for one spot in the second. The second round saw the remaining eight sides divided into two groups of four teams each. The first and second finishing teams from both groups went into the third round, where, in an elimination-style playoff, New Zealand booked their place for the World Cup, while New Caledonia found themselves in the intercontinental playoff.

As discussed before, 28 teams have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And now, we will tally all our qualifiers. From UEFA, only England has confirmed a place in the World Cup so far. CONMEBOL has seen Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay qualify. Canada, Mexico, and the US are the only teams from CONCACAF to have qualified, doing so as the hosts. Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, the Ivory Coast, and Senegal have made it from CAF. Japan, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have qualified from the AFC. New Zealand has the only direct qualification spot from the OFC.

Meanwhile, six teams will make it to the intercontinental play-off and will compete for two 2026 FIFA World Cup spots. So far, Bolivia from CONMEBOL and New Caledonia from the OFC are the only two teams to have confirmed a spot in these play-offs.

Teams Qualified For FIFA World Cup 2026

• Canada (CONCACAF/ hosts)
• Mexico (CONCACAF/ hosts)
• United States of America (CONCACAF/ hosts)
• England (UEFA)
• Argentina (CONMEBOL)
• Ecuador (CONMEBOL)
• Colombia (CONMEBOL)
• Uruguay (CONMEBOL)
• Brazil (CONMEBOL)
• Paraguay (CONMEBOL)
• Iran (AFC)
• Uzbekistan (AFC)
• South Korea (AFC)
• Jordan (AFC)
• Japan (AFC)
• Australia (AFC)
• Qatar (AFC)
• Saudi Arabia (AFC)
• Egypt (CAF)
• Senegal (CAF)
• South Africa (CAF)
• Cape Verde (CAF)
• Morocco (CAF)
• Ivory Coast (CAF)
• Algeria (CAF)
• Tunisia (CAF)
• Ghana (CAF)
• New Zealand (OFC)

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UAE will face Qatar on October 14, 2025, needing only a draw to secure direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup/ Image: X With a dramatic win over Oman, the UAE take a vital step toward a long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup. The result not only cements their position at the top of Group A but also sets up a high-stakes face-off against Qatar, with direct qualification within reach.

UAE beat Oman in World Cup qualifier: How the match unfolded

The UAE national football team staged a resilient 2–1 comeback victory over Oman on Saturday at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, in their opening match of the fourth round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Oman opened the scoring in the 12th minute after sustained early pressure. Forward Issam Al Subhi unleashed a shot that deflected off UAE defender Kwame Atun, wrong-footing goalkeeper Khalid Eisa and handing Oman the lead via an own goal. Oman controlled possession through much of the first half, applying pressing tactics that limited the UAE’s movement and creativity. The Emirati side struggled to find rhythm, with their attacking attempts disrupted by injuries and tight Omani defense. A pivotal moment came in the 32nd minute when UAE’s key winger Yahya Al Ghassani was forced off with an injury following a promising run. Head coach Cosmin Olăroiu brought on Ali Saleh as his replacement. Despite intermittent flashes of individual brilliance from Nicolas Giménez and Fabio Lima, the UAE went into halftime trailing 1–0. Defensive gaps and miscommunication marked their first-half display, while Oman maintained momentum through sharp midfield control and quick transitions.

Tactical shifts and substitutions spark a turnaround

The second half saw a strategic overhaul from coach Cosmin Olăroiu, who introduced three key substitutes — Harib Abdalla, Caio Canedo, and Yahya Nader. The changes had an immediate impact, increasing attacking urgency and opening up the flanks. In the 72nd minute, UAE appeared to have won a penalty when Ali Saleh was brought down in the box. However, following a VAR review, the decision was overturned, and play resumed without the spot kick. Undeterred, the UAE continued to press. Persistence finally paid off in the 76th minute. Ali Saleh delivered a perfectly measured cross into the box, where Marcos (or Milos) Miloni rose to head in the equalizer, breaking Omanâ€s resistance and bringing the game level. Just seven minutes later, the comeback was completed. Caio Lucas received the ball outside the penalty area and fired a thunderous long-range shot into the bottom corner in the 83rd minute. The goal, showcasing calm precision under pressure, became an instant viral hit on social media, capturing the joy of both players and fans. The final minutes saw Oman push forward in search of an equalizer, but UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa stepped up, making two critical saves to preserve the lead. His composure in the closing moments sealed the win and solidified his role in the team’s hard-fought victory.

Group A standings and what comes next

This result places the UAE at the top of Group A in the AFC Asian playoff qualifiers with three points. Oman and Qatar, who played out a goalless draw in their opening match, each hold one point. The stakes remain high. The UAE will face hosts Qatar in their next match on Tuesday, October 14. A draw would be enough to secure direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a historic milestone that would mark the UAEâ€s first return to footballâ€s grandest stage since 1990. For Oman, the road is now more complex. With only one point from two games, their path likely leads to the intercontinental playoff, unless results elsewhere swing heavily in their favor.

‘A Nationâ€s Dream’ rekindled after 35 years

The UAEâ€s only World Cup appearance came in 1990, during the tournament held in Italy. Since then, qualification has remained elusive. Under the leadership of Romanian coach Cosmin Olăroiu, appointed earlier in 2025, the team has demonstrated new tactical cohesion and resilience. Olăroiu has managed to maintain an unbeaten streak so far, blending experienced internationals with younger talents like Harib Abdalla and Yahya Al Ghassani. Support for the team is swelling. Thousands of UAE fans made the trip to Doha, turning the stadium into a sea of white shirts and flags. After the wign, prominent voices, including Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the UAE President, congratulated the team online. “Congratulations to our national team on their well-deserved victory, and hard luck to our Omani brothers†team,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). The viral video of Caio Lucas†goal, now circulating widely across social platforms, has become emblematic of the UAEâ€s campaign: focused, spirited, and ambitious. With one final step remaining, the UAE are within touching distance of rewriting history. All eyes now turn to Tuesday, as they prepare to face Qatar, and potentially seal their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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Villarreal’s LaLiga game against Barcelona on Dec. 20 in Miami, and AC Milan’s Serie A clash with Como in Perth, Australia, in February will make history. For the first time, regular-season games will be played on foreign soil, and it marks the culmination of a long political and legal struggle.

It’s a path that major U.S. sports have trod in the opposite direction for years now — the NFL, NBA and MLB have all played regular-season games overseas — and some see it as a shortcut to globalizing their league and marketing their product around the world. It’s also a contentious issue, one that was vehemently opposed by governing bodies from national associations to confederations right up to FIFA.

That began to change a after a long-running antitrust lawsuit brought by Relevent, a marketing and event promotion company founded by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, was settled with FIFA and, later, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). The settlement effectively opens the door to sports leagues wishing to play abroad. One of the last hurdles to fall was UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, where opposition is most strident.

So what’s the big deal? Other sports, such as the NFL, play regular-season games abroad …

This is different. When the NFL goes to São Paulo or Dublin or London, it’s not pushing its product on somebody else’s turf, for starters. Whatever organized football exists in those territories is light years away from what the NFL offers.

That’s not the case here. MLS and Australia’s A-League might not be on par with LaLiga or Serie A, but they are fully fledged, professional competitions. And unlike the NFL, there’s a single, pyramid-based ecosystem, governed by FIFA at the top. That’s why there were so many entities that have to sign off on this.

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The national associations (Spain’s RFEF and the USSF, in one case, Football Australia and Italy’s FIGC in the other), the regional confederations (UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation) and, of course, FIFA. Though, really, it was UEFA who, potentially, posed the biggest hurdle.

Why is that?

Well, the FAs of Spain and Italy were unlikely to object given it was their own national leagues that were wanting to play abroad. FIFA and the USSF — both of whom had strongly opposed anything other than exhibition matches being played in the U.S. — settled long-running antitrust lawsuits in 2024 and 2025 brought by event promoter Relevent Sports, who had tried to stage regular-season matches in the U.S. for years. That settlement effectively made it very difficult for them to object.

That left UEFA, who “reluctantly” greenlit the games on Monday, specifying that it was on an “exceptional basis”: A one-off that, in no way, should be seen as a precedent.

‘Reluctantly’? ‘Exceptional basis’? The UEFA makes it sound as if its arm was being twisted …

I don’t think the UEFA could have been any clearer. Its news release was titled “UEFA confirms its opposition to domestic league matches played abroad.” UEFA president Aleksander ÄŒeferin said that “league matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions.”

So why did the UEFA approve it?

Because it said the current “regulatory framework” — which FIFA was supposed to put together — isn’t “clear and detailed enough,” and so the UEFA had no choice. Essentially, there was the risk of more legal action.

Some might say the UEFA is passing the buck. FIFA isn’t giving it clear rules, so it has to approve this, however reluctantly, and as ÄŒeferin underscored, the UEFA approved it on a one-off basis, without it representing any kind of precedent. That said, some folks are cynical about this.

Barcelona are set to take on Villarreal at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in LaLiga play on Dec. 20. Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

How so?

Well, LaLiga boss Javier Tebas and Barcelona were the ones driving the Miami game and both are influential, especially in the context of the European game. UEFA are a governing body, but it’s also business partners with the European Football Clubs (EFC, the body that represents more than 800 of the continent’s clubs) in marketing and selling their tournaments, including their crown jewel, the men’s Champions League. And it just so happened that on Wednesday they jointly announced a new tender for broadcasting rights to their club competitions, with the goal of raising nearly half a billion dollars more per season.

Guess who’s going to sell those rights. Relevent, the folks who brought the original lawsuit.

They became UEFA’s commercial and marketing partners last March. They are responsible for monetizing the Champions League on behalf of UEFA and the EFC form 2027. So if you’re really cynical, you might connect all those dots. UEFA know there’s a ton of opposition to this, but a number of their business partners are either in favor of it or don’t really care. Throw in the fact that they could face a legal challenge and, in any case, FIFA haven’t yet provided them with a set of rules to follow and I guess they figured it wasn’t a hill worth dying on.

Why was there so much opposition to this? Real Madrid were among the first to complain …

… and they have a legitimate case. They’re Barcelona’s direct competitor in LaLiga year after year, and moving the game to Miami means one of Barça’s toughest away trips — against Villarreal — will instead be played in Lionel Messi‘s backyard. I think it’s a safe bet that the crowd will be overwhelmingly pro-Barça, so you can see why Madrid aren’t thrilled: A tricky away game becomes a de facto home match.

Moving Milan vs. Como to Australia is less contentious from a competitive perspective. Milan can’t play at San Siro due to the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and they can’t move the fixture either because they share the ground with Inter Milan, who have a packed schedule.

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Milan draw more than 70,000 fans per game and have more than 40,000 season ticket holders. The only other stadium in Italy that could accommodate that would be the Olympic Stadium in Rome, but they can’t play there either because AS Roma and Lazio share it, and there are no free dates. So really, they would have to go abroad anyway. Why not Australia?

That said, many fans and players are unhappy. Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong said he “totally” understood why other clubs are unhappy that their away game becomes a match played on neutral ground, and he said the travel was going to be tough on the players. Milan’s Adrien Rabiot was even more direct, calling it “absurd” and how the decision was made over the player’s heads.

Politicians got involved, too. Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner whose portfolio includes sports and culture, called it a “betrayal” of “local communities and fans.” He said “to our citizens, it is more than just a competition, it’s about community, friendship, family.”

He’s laying it on a bit thick, isn’t he?

Yes and no. When the Premier League floated the idea of a “39th game” — with each club playing an extra match abroad — back in 2008, there was widespread opposition. So much so that in August, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said there were no plans to even consider it and that, in any case, his league didn’t need more publicity.

Throw in the legitimate complaints about distortion of the competition and player workload — players’ union FIFAPro weighed in on this recently, too — and folks are wondering whether it’s worth it.

So what’s in it for Barcelona and LaLiga?

Barcelona and Villarreal are reportedly splitting around $12 million, with Milan and Como clocking in at around $10 million. When you consider Barça estimate their revenue will comfortably pass the billion-dollar mark this season, we’re talking, what, just over half a percent? It’s more about raising the profile, gaining fans and possibly sponsors, though even that feels a bit dubious.

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How will fans react to LaLiga’s first ever fixture abroad?

Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop discuss the announcement of Villarreal vs. Barcelona being played in Miami.

I mean, Barcelona and Milan are two legitimate heavyweight brands with supporters all over the world; I’m skeptical about how many non-fans they’re actually going to convert. People with even just a passing interest in the sport know who they are. And are Villarreal going to suddenly gain fans in Miami (or Como in Perth)? Even if they do, how are they going to monetize them?

It feels as if they’re trying to ape what the NFL did, with some success, when they started taking regular-season games abroad two decades ago. But again, that was different.

When the NFL started taking games to Europe, there was a whole promotional apparatus, with clinics and events to promote the league. And crucially, NFL fans from all over the continent would show up at stadiums such as Wembley, often wearing their team’s jersey even if their favorite team wasn’t playing. I somehow don’t think we’ll see too many Miami-based Real Madrid fans showing up.

Times have changed. Barça fans in the U.S. can already watch every minute of every game, and they can usually catch them in person in preseason. Casual fans will get their fill of Lamine Yamal & Co. next summer at the FIFA World Cup.

I’m not sure how much this moves the needle, or how much the sport actually needs this.

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