La Liga’s tired idea to export a game to Miami has once again collapsed: Villarreal vs FC Barcelona will be played where it belongs – in Villarreal. Common sense and the rules of the game have prevailed. This is a seismic victory for European football and everyone who believes the game belongs at the heart of our communities – now it’s time for Serie A to drop its plans too.
Once again, European football stood united to protect the future of our game. The collective opposition from supporters, players, UEFA, the European institutions and many other football stakeholders has been deafening and definitive: domestic league matches must not be exported abroad.
We want to thank supporter groups from across Europe and beyond for their mobilisation and their solidarity, to commend the Spanish players for their decisive strike, to congratulate supporters from Villarreal and FC Barcelona who stood firm in the face of an incredibly hostile environment, and our colleagues from FASFE – Accionistas y Socios del Fútbol Español (Spanish national supporters organisation) for their leadership and their determination. This is an historic victory for the Spanish fan movement.
This crisis has demonstrated monumental flaws in the governance of Spanish professional football, which cannot continue to operate in isolation from its key stakeholders and the rest of society. Now comes the time for reform, so that La Liga’s fantasy never sees the light of day. FASFE and the Spanish supporter groups must play a key part in rebuilding Spanish football on healthier, more sustainable, and democratic foundations.
La Liga’s defeat sends a clear message to the world of football: such ill-conceived projects are doomed to fail. These attempts to destabilise the foundation of the game must stop now.
Serie A must do the right thing in the face of growing isolation and withdraw its proposal to move AC Milan vs Como 1907 to Australia. It’s not too late. The position of players and supporters in Italy is crystal clear: doubling down on this failed idea would be an act of self-inflicted damage to the league’s reputation, to Italian football, and to the game as a whole.
If not, we urge the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which still needs to decide on this proposal, to respect the voice of fans, uphold the rules of the game and reject the proposal. The game has no place 15,000 kilometres away from its home.
We also call on FIFA to act as the regulator of the game and give clarity. The current regulatory gaps have only fuelled confusion and conflict. Football must stay firm and adopt proper regulations now.
This crisis has demonstrated once again that the future of the game cannot be built without fans. Football Supporters Europe (FSE) stands ready to play its role and calls for the inclusion of supporter representatives in FIFA’s ongoing discussions on the reform of the regulations governing international matches.
You can’t export passion.
#KeepFootballHome
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