FIFA gives the green light to a new rule that could mean a radical change in national football
FIFA has approved rules that could cause national matches to be played “outside the territory.”
After plans were proposed last month about allowing domestic games to be played on foreign grounds, new rules have since been formed.
The FIFA Council approved the formation of a working group that could revoke current rules prohibiting national matches from being held in different countries.
A meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday insisted fans would be at the forefront of any changes to current regulations.
One of the main rules includes ensuring that “adequate provisions have been made so that fans of teams playing a proposed match outside the territory can attend the match.”
How such a rule could be enforced seems vague, as start times and day trips away from home are set to change dramatically.
The impact on sporting competition is also a major factor the group will consider, where teams would otherwise have faced each other in a conventional home-and-away format.
The Council has also asked the group to investigate whether the matches played “outside the territory” are unique or part of a series.
It gives air to the idea that a league could be created abroad, comparable to the failed European Super League of April 2021, which collapsed after 48 hours following immense pressure from fans.
3
3
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has already insisted there are no plans to play matches abroad.
However, he did accept that FIFA's proposed changes to the rules indicate that the door is 'ajar' for other countries to do so.
He said: “The door seems ajar for overseas matches. It is not in our current plans.
“We are reaching a turning point. The response we have from the players is that too much football is played and there is constant expansion.
“The Premier League has not changed its form. What has changed in recent decades is the advancement of international and regional football competitions.
“We are proud to be different in England. We still have two cup competitions left.
“We still believe it is up to us to determine the size of our league. If you pour more liquid into a glass that is already full, it will overflow.
“That is what is happening at the moment, not only in terms of the schedule but in terms of the players' ability to perform at their best in the competitions they want to play in.
“It stands to reason that if you overload the schedule and the players, at some point something has to give.
