European football has entered a new controversy after more than 400 fan associations representing various clubs across the continent strongly rejected proposals by the Spanish and Italian league associations to hold domestic matches outside Europe.

The fan rejection followed the Spanish Football Federation’s approval to hold the Barcelona vs. Villarreal match in Miami, USA, in December.

After the Italian league association announced plans to hold a Milan vs. Como match in Australia in February 2026, aiming to expand commercial reach and attract new fans abroad.

The Football Supporters Europe association, supported by 25 national fan groups, issued a strong statement saying, “Clubs are not entertainment companies or traveling circuses, but community institutions connected to their fans.”

They added, “We reject depriving local fans of their right to attend matches in the stands for purely commercial decisions. We call on UEFA and local federations to oppose these projects and ensure the game’s roots remain in their communities.”

UEFA, chaired by Aleksander Čeferin, is scheduled to meet on September 11 in Tirana, Albania, where the issue is expected to be discussed.

Čeferin previously hinted at possible negotiations with FIFA to stop such projects, emphasizing that “local matches should be played within their natural boundaries.”

Supporters of the move see it as an opportunity to expand the popularity of European clubs and increase their financial revenues, especially with growing demand for football in markets like America and Australia.

However, opponents stress that moving matches strips local competitions of their identity and strikes at the traditional bond between clubs and their fans.