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Fifa will consider changing a longstanding policy that prevents national league matches from being held in another country as part of a settlement with the Relevent Sports agency, which wants to bring games from major European competitions to the US.
In a resolution filed by both parties filed in the US District Court in Manhattan on 8th April, Fifa and Relevent have agreed to end their dispute, with world soccer’s world governing body agreeing to abide by any injunction that results from parallel, active legal action against US Soccer regarding the same issue.
‘Fifa and Relevent have agreed to resolve this matter as it concerns Fifa, pending Fifa’s consideration of changes to existing Fifa policies with respect to playing official season games outside of a league’s home territory,’ Fifa said in a statement.
‘Fifa has not admitted any liability and continues to deny the legal claims alleged in Relevent’s complaint.’
With Fifa’s stance now softened, the lawsuit could yet lead to competitive European league matches being held in US cities.
“Bringing official matches from Europe to the US is an exciting proposition but it must be done thoughtfully and collaboratively,” Daniel Sillman, Relevent chief executive said in a statement. “We look forward to partnering with Fifa to support the global growth of the game and the best leagues in the world.”
In 2018, Relevent announced plans to stage a LaLiga game between Barcelona and Girona in Miami, as part of a 15-year commercial partnership with the Spanish top-flight. Fifa then drew up a policy in reply, blocking league matches from being staged outside of the participating teams’ home territory.
Barcelona eventually withdrew from the sports agency’s plans, as LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) also were at odds over the announcement.
Relevent then tried to bring an Ecuadorian league match to the US, with the approval of LigaPro Ecuador. But US Soccer, in line with Fifa’s regulation, refused to sanction the fixture, resulting in a federal antitrust lawsuit filed by the agency against both organisations.
The case was dismissed in 2021, with US District Court judge Valerie Caproni deciding that Relevent had failed to prove an illegal conspiracy between Fifa and US Soccer to restrict where clubs play. This ruling however was overturned last year by a US appeals court.
Last month, US President Joe Biden’s administration sided with Relevent and recommended that the Supreme Court allow the appeals court’s ruling to stand, paving the way for trial. This came after US Soccer filed a petition to the Supreme Court challenging the suit’s revival.
The US has long hosted star-studded pre-season tours and several clubs have established offices in various cities to further fortify growing commercial ties across the Atlantic. With many leading soccer clubs prioritising the country as a key market to expand their fanbases, this case will have plenty of interested observers.
Sillman previously has promised that LaLiga games will be played in North America, declaring that this would happen before the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Similarly, officials behind French soccer’s top-flight have also stated they are prepared to stage “meaningful” Ligue 1 games in the US as they look to negotiate an improved media rights deal.
While there is a clear commercial upside to taking games to the US, teams and leagues will undoubtedly face backlash from fans and players should they choose to do so. They would risk angering their domestic fanbase in taking away a game from their home venue, and face accusations of sacrificing their fans interests for financial gains. On the other hand, it does open up a rare opportunity for international fans to watch a league game without needing to plan a trip out to the respective team’s country.
Fifa choosing to settle the case with Relevent may suggest it has changed its tune on staging league games in overseas territories. The governing body has strengthened its ties to the US as preparations continue for the 2026 World Cup, and has already made plans to hold an expanded Club World Cup in 2025 in the country.
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