Miles Off It - Leagues Allowed One Game Abroad Per Year, New FIFA Guidelines Propose
New FIFA Guidelines Propose Games in Other Countries
According to new proposals from FIFA, domestic leagues may be limited to staging one game per domestic season in a foreign country, significantly increasing the likelihood for controversial "international matches" to be approved.
The new protocol, developed by a working FIFA group that was born almost two years back, would bring in clear regulations to de-escalate and explain the controversial issue and introduce strict limits in order to bring balance, allegedly.
As well as each league being allowed to relocate one top-flight game overseas, it is also believed that countries will also be allowed to stage a maximum of five matches affiliated to another division every season.
International Matches Given Extra Helping
La Liga and Serie A had scheduled fixtures that were to take place in Miami, USA and Perth, Australia this season, which lit a political fight between FIFA and UEFA. Eventually the fixtures - Villareal vs Barcelona and Milan vs Como - were scrapped after objections were brought up by local authorities, whilst La Liga's American promoter, Relevant Sports, also chickened out of going ahead with the game. The situation is believed to have cause a severe amount of friction between a lot of the parties involved.
Under new protocols, and request to move a competitive fixture to a foreign country would now only be considered if it has receieved approval from all major involved stakeholder, and with FIFA holding the right to veto.
Any request or plan would need to be accepted by the national association of the involved clubs, as well as their confederation, FA, the FA's confederation all before being handed to FIFA for final approval.
Under the new model, the domestic league itself would not even be consulted over the planning to move games abroad, even in the event that the involved clubs in the fixture pushed against the involved parties wishes to re-locate the game. The English FA are unlikely to sanction a switch against the wishes of the Premier League, but such a strong alignment between participant and host is not necessarily the same case in every country - this could lead to further tension down the line.
International Matches Rules and Regs
It has been indicated that FIFA may block requests for re-location if they have concerns over player welfare when it comes to workload and unneccesary travel.
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The argument is based on Italy’s four World Cup titles, seen as justification for the proposal — framed… pic.twitter.com/flmWfaAR7E
The new proposals also include a demand for guarantees stating that revenue earned from domestic matches held in different countries will be redistributed throughout the sporting pyramid within, and evidence will need to be provided that the host country's own domestic league will not be affected adversely. There will also be a need to provide proof that plans and, in some cases, compensation would be in place for the participating clubs' supporters to attend the game.
Under the current regs, which were implemented in 2014, FIFA can block an 'international match' in one condition - wherein the correct processes are not adhered to by relevant parties. At this time, no date has been scheduled for the working group's next meeting. When it does happen, stakeholder feedback is expected to be heard and considered, but FIFA remain steadfast in an ambition to have the new guidelines in place for as soon as next season.
What Comes Next Amidst FIFA's New Regulations
Even a more intrinsic scope on the rules and regulations surrounding the controversy of international matches will not do much to put out the fiery debates held amongst fans surrounding the topic. When La Liga and Serie A announced their intentions to move a league fixture abroad, there was outrage across the world. They still wish to try again despite this - a Madrid derby was played for the Supercopa de España semi-final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia earlier this season - but the Premier League remain insistent that they will not partake in the plans, even though there are rumours present that some American owners would like to stage some Premier League games in the States.
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UEFA had approved these fixtures but made their reluctance over the topic clear and stated that FIFA's guidelines for their plans were "not clear and detailed enough". FIFA did look at banning games abroad, but went against the move on legal grounds.
FIFA's thinking has also been largely guided by a wish to protect MLS and football in the United States in general, as the American market would be the number one target for clubs if they were allowed to shift league fixtures abroad.
The clause that one country may stage no more than five overseas games a season on their shores has been added thanks to concerns that the US would be overrun with clubs from Europe and South America looking to play there in a bid to take advantage of the outrageous North American ticket markets.
Harry Pascoe 
Jake Brown 