UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has warned against hosting domestic league matches abroad, urging European football to protect supporter loyalty and preserve its open pyramid structure.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has spoken out against the growing idea of staging domestic league matches overseas, warning that such moves risk damaging the bond between clubs and their supporters.
Addressing delegates at UEFA’s 50th Congress, Ceferin cautioned European leagues not to sacrifice long-term loyalty for short-term commercial gain.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin highlighted the vital role national associations play in developing football across Europe.#UEFACongress pic.twitter.com/fHA1QrqHzg
— UEFA (@UEFA) February 12, 2026
His comments come amid recent attempts by top leagues to expand their global footprint. Plans had previously been floated to stage a LaLiga fixture between Villarreal and Barcelona in the United States, as well as a Serie A clash involving AC Milan and Como in Australia. Both proposals were ultimately scrapped last year following backlash and logistical concerns.
Ceferin made it clear that while international growth is important, it must not come at the expense of tradition. “Domestic leagues draw their strength from their territory, their traditions and match-going fans,” he said. Exporting league matches abroad, he argued, may generate revenue and visibility, but it weakens the cultural identity that underpins European football.
Advising clubs not to trade “roots for reach,” the Slovenian administrator questioned how teams could sustain local passion if games are removed from their natural environment. “How do you build identity if you remove the game from its home?” he asked, emphasizing the importance of preserving football’s connection to its communities.
Ceferin also reiterated UEFA’s commitment to maintaining an open competition structure, a pointed reference to the failed European Super League project. Speaking a day after UEFA reached a settlement with Real Madrid to end their legal dispute over the breakaway proposal, he insisted European football “will never be closed.”
Highlighting UEFA’s redistribution model, Ceferin underlined the governing body’s financial solidarity. He noted that more than €400 million will be distributed this season to clubs outside the Champions League league phase, with €308 million allocated to teams not involved in European competitions at all. Such measures, he suggested, would not exist in a purely profit-driven system.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who also addressed the Congress, welcomed the resolution of UEFA’s legal disagreement with Real Madrid. “Football wins when we unite,” Infantino said, echoing Ceferin’s broader message that unity and tradition remain central to the sport’s future.
