NYON: Soccer fans from more than 400 club supporter groups in Europe urged FIFA and UEFA on Wednesday to block requests from the Spanish and Italian leagues to play games abroad.
The Spanish football federation has approved plans for Barcelona to play Villarreal in Miami in December, and Serie A wants AC Milan to host Como in February in Perth, Australia.
Ahead of UEFA’s executive committee meeting next week in Albania, its officially recognized fan liaison group Football Supporters Europe aimed to show the scale of opposition to “out-of-territory” games — including from a fan group at Villarreal.
“We call on UEFA, FIFA, and all national associations to stand firm, play their role as regulators of the game,” the FSE group said Wednesday, with support from fan groups in 25 countries, “and ensure that football remains rooted in our communities, where it belongs.”
“Clubs are neither entertainment companies nor traveling circuses. They exist for the benefit of their communities and provide a sense of belonging, where fans have been attending home games for generations,” FSE said.
Critics of the plans, including the European Commission’s top sports official in Brussels, Glenn Micallef, say the sporting integrity of leagues also would be unbalanced and damaged.
Allowing the Barcelona or AC Milan games to move would “instantly open a Pandora’s box with unpredictable and irreversible consequences,” the fan groups warned.
Fresh proposals to move domestic leagues abroad were inevitable once FIFA withdrew from a court case last year in New York brought by promotions agency Relevent.
Relevent was co-founded by Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins, whose Hard Rock Stadium is set to stage the Villarreal-Barcelona game which the clubs hope will help build their fan bases and brands globally.
Barcelona has been struggling financially for several years and Miami also is where its iconic former star Lionel Messi currently plays, for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
Relevent also is now one of UEFA’s most significant commercial partners, sealing a deal this year to sell broadcast and sponsor rights for six years of the Champions League and other European club competitions starting in 2027.
UEFA’s ruling committee meets Sept. 11 in Tirana, chaired by its president Aleksander Ceferin. He suggested last week UEFA must talk with FIFA and currently has limited legal power to stop overseas games if the national federations involved agree to them.
Fan groups across Europe urge UEFA and FIFA to block plans for Barcelona and Milan games abroad
https://arab.news/mjns4
Fan groups across Europe urge UEFA and FIFA to block plans for Barcelona and Milan games abroad
- “We call on UEFA, FIFA, and all national associations to stand firm, play their role as regulators of the game,” the FSE group said
- “Clubs are neither entertainment companies nor traveling circuses”
Sharjah Warriorz edge MI Emirates by 6 runs to seal first win of ILT20 season
- A composed 77 from Johnson Charles, backed up by a decisive all-round contribution from stand-in captain Sikander Raza, proved the difference
ABU DHABI: Sharjah Warriorz claimed their first victory of International League T20 Season 4 after edging MI Emirates by 6 runs in a tense encounter at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
A composed 77 from Johnson Charles, backed up by a decisive all-round contribution from stand-in captain Sikander Raza, proved the difference as the Warriorz successfully defended a target of 175.
Charles anchored the Warriorz innings with a measured knock off 53 balls, striking seven fours and four sixes as his side posted 174 for 3.
MI Emirates looked on course in the chase after a strong start, but timely breakthroughs in the middle overs swung momentum back towards the Warriorz, rendering Nicholas Pooran’s late assault in vain.
Chasing 175, MI Emirates were given early impetus by openers Jonny Bairstow and Muhammad Waseem. The pair raced to a 50 partnership inside the powerplay, taking their side to 54 without loss after six overs, with Waseem particularly aggressive against Maheesh Theekshana.
The turning point came in the middle overs as Raza struck twice to halt the chase.
He removed Bairstow in the eighth over before dismissing Waseem two overs later, triggering a collapse that saw MI Emirates lose wickets at regular intervals.
Matheesha Pathirana accounted for Tom Banton, before Junaid Siddique struck twice in the 15th over to remove Kieron Pollard and Romario Shepherd, leaving MI Emirates under mounting pressure. Despite Pooran’s valiant 48 off 35 balls, including three sixes in the final over, Siddique held his nerve to concede only 18 runs and seal a narrow victory.
Earlier, Charles set the tone after a cautious start, breaking free with a 17-run third over. Alongside Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who contributed 30, the opener ensured the Warriorz reached 48 without loss in the powerplay before accelerating through the middle overs.
Charles brought up his half-century in the 10th over as the opening pair added 112 runs, laying a strong platform. Although both fell in quick succession, Raza ensured the innings maintained momentum with 29 off 22 balls, while James Rew added a brisk 24. The Warriorz closed on 174 for 3, with Zahoor Khan bowling a tight final over.
MI Emirates skipper Pollard said: “It was a good wicket and 175 was a fair total, so I have no complaints about the score they posted. It was a game we should have finished. We’ve been the slowest side in overs seven to 15, and while this loss is disappointing, it’s not all negative. We lost by six runs, the result didn’t go our way, but we did fight back.”
Sharjah Warriorz stand-in captain Raza said that he was pleased with the clarity and courage his side showed in their innings.
“The feedback was that it was a slow surface, so trying to push for 195 and ending up with 160 could have hurt us. When the team wins, everything feels better, and in a crunch game like this, I’m glad we crossed the line,” he added.
