European football executives are exploring the idea of taking Champions League games to new markets
(Image credit: Getty Images)
European football executives are considering staging Champions League matches in the United States, China or the Middle East to expand the competition to a global audience, according to reports.
UEFA’s executive committee meets this week in Croatia, before the European Club Association (ECA) hosts its general assembly in Istanbul.
According to The Athletic, one of the topics that will be up for discussion is the possibility of taking the Champions League outside of Europe.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi wants to take Champions League games out of Europe. (Image credit: Getty)
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is among the influential figures who supports the idea of moving games to other major markets.
Al-Khelaifi has a seat on the UEFA executive committee and is chair of the ECA.
The idea is yet to be explored in detail, but the initial concept would be to move group games abroad rather than important knockout matches.
The Super Cup could also be transferred outside of the continent, and UEFA is considering expanding the competition to four teams, instead of a straight shoot-out between the Champions League and Europa League winners.
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The UEFA Super Cup could be taken overseas. (Image credit: Getty Images)
It’s a concept some European league bodies have already gone ahead with.
The Italian Super Cup was first held overseas in 1993, when AC Milan faced Torino in Washington, and has since been staged once more in the United States, four times in China and twice in Qatar.
This season's event, between Serie A winners Milan and Coppa Italia holders Inter Milan, will be held in Saudi Arabia for the third time in five years.
Spain’s Super Cup was expanded to a four-team format in 2019 and was also taken to Saudi Arabia twice in the last three years.
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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
