The idea of European soccer leagues hosting regular-season matches on American soil has long been an exciting prospect – and recent legal developments have brought this dream closer to reality. However, there are still uncertainties looming over the final execution.
The pathway for such international fixtures seemed fraught with legal barriers until FIFA, the global governing body of soccer, settled a significant lawsuit with promoter Relevent Sports. This legal battle challenged FIFA’s prior policy restricting official matches to teams’ home territories. While the settlement represents a shift, the ultimate decision still lies with the European leagues themselves.
Richard Masters, CEO of the Premier League, tempered expectations, stating that hosting matches abroad is not currently part of their plans.
“It’s not part of our current plans, it really isn’t,” Masters said. “No one quite knows exactly what is happening, but the door looks ajar potentially in America, at any rate, for matches abroad.”
However, the European Leagues group acknowledges that the possibility exists, particularly in the American market, where pre-season soccer matches have consistently drawn massive crowds.
Stadiums typically reserved for football games, have sold-out friendly matches among European powerhouses – making the prospect of watching meaningful matches with soccer stars such as Lionel Messi strengthening the sport’s presence in the US.
LaLiga, in particular, is enthusiastic about the possibility, with President Javier Tebas expressing confidence in playing official games abroad as early as the 2025–26 season.
“I don’t know when, but this time, LaLiga will play official games abroad,” Tebas said. “I think it could be from the 2025–26 season. An official game in the United States would strengthen our position in the North American market, which is the second [biggest] for LaLiga after Spain.”
