FIFA open to reverse ban on overseas league matches after historic settlement

FIFA says it will consider changes to its policy that currently blocks domestic football league matches from being played in other countries, paving the way for high-profile competitive league games to be staged overseas.

The announcement follows the settlement with the Relevent Sports agency, which brought an anti-trust lawsuit against both FIFA and the United States Soccer Federation, accusing them of improperly banning foreign clubs and leagues from staging official matches in the US.

The settlement between Relevent and FIFA sees the latter removed as a defendant in the case but has crucially resulted in football's world governing body considering an about-face on the ban.

Should FIFA alter its policy, it would reignite the ambitions of several leagues to stage competitive matches in other countries.

In a statement, FIFA said that though it is considering changes to "existing FIFA policies concerning playing official season games outside of a league's home territory," it did not admit any liability in the case.

The settlement follows the decision a year ago by the federal appeals court in Manhattan to revive Relevent's case against FIFA and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), which a trial judge had dismissed in 2021.

The appeals court rejected FIFA's arguments that it was not subject to the lawsuit in New York, saying that the USSF acted on behalf of FIFA.

In a filing with the US district court in Manhattan, Relevent confirmed FIFA will now consider changes to its rules governing whether games can be played outside a league's home territory.

In September 2018, Relevent announced an agreement with Spain's La Liga to host a regular Spanish league match between FC Barcelona and Girona FC at Miami Gardens, Florida, the following January.

FC Barcelona eventually withdrew, and Relevent sued the USSF in 2019 for failing to sanction moving the Ecuadorian League match between Barcelona SC and Guayaquil City to Miami.

FIFA was added as a defendant after the FIFA Council established its foreign match policy in October 2019, forbidding games to be played outside a league's home territory.

Relevent, the organizer of the International Champions Cup preseason tournament, sued the USSF after it refused to allow a league match between Ecuadorian sides Barcelona SC and Guayaquil City in Miami Gardens, Florida, at Hard Rock Stadium in the 2018-19 season.

The USSF said that FIFA policy was that league matches must be played "within the territory of the respective member association."

Relevent's statement yesterday (Monday) said: "FIFA and Relevent Sports have agreed to resolve this matter specific to FIFA while FIFA considers changes to its existing rules about whether games can be played outside of a league's home territory.

Relevent Sports looks forward to supporting FIFA as both sides work to grow the game."

Relevent's case against the USSF is expected to continue.

European and South American teams already play 'friendly" matches in the US, while teams from Mexico's top-flight Liga MX compete in the Leagues Cup, a knockout tournament featuring all 47 Major League Soccer and Liga MX teams and played at MLS stadiums in the United States and Canada.

Relevent, which is controlled by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, was awarded the 2024-27 US media rights to Uefa's club competitions in 2022, breaking Team Marketing's 30-year, exclusive grip on the competitions' global commercial rights.