Uefa Greenlights Overseas League Matches Amid Fan Backlash. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin announced the approval of two European league matches to be played abroad, calling the decision “regrettable”. La Liga’s Villarreal and Barcelona will face off in Miami in December, marking the first European league fixture to be played outside of Europe. In February, AC Milan’s Serie A match against Como will be held in Perth, Australia. Uefa emphasized its opposition to the plans, but approved them reluctantly due to the lack of a legal framework to prevent such matches. Ceferin stressed that this decision is "exceptional" and will not set a precedent for future league games abroad. Fans’ group Football Supporters Europe warned that playing league matches abroad could have "long-lasting harm" on football and its history. Uefa consulted stakeholders, finding widespread opposition, but cited Fifa’s unclear regulatory framework as a reason it couldn’t block the plans. Other matches, like the Italian and Spanish Super Cups, have been held abroad, but the concept of a "39th game" for the Premier League was shelved after fan backlash. [Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT]