Barcelona are set to play Villarreal in a competitive La Liga match in Miami after UEFA sanctioned the first steps to take a domestic league fixture abroad from Europe’s top five leagues. Arsenal supporters, particularly those with season tickets at the Emirates Stadium, have been concerned about this reality for some time.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta made it clear in a statement that this was something that the club truly wanted. He cites how La Liga had indeed backed this strategy, which will have significant financial benefits for the club.
“We are looking forward to reconnecting with all our fans in the United States and are grateful to LALIGA for the opportunity to get closer to one of the Club’s key strategic markets,” he said. “We have been visiting the country for many years and have always felt the passion that FC Barcelona inspires.
“As a global club with millions of supporters around the world, this opportunity strengthens our commitment to our international fan base – especially in a key market like the U.S. An official match in a city like Miami, with such a strong Barça community, will undoubtedly be a great spectacle featuring two teams competing at the highest level.”
Despite the games going ahead, UEFA have made it clear that they do not support this. It has been explained that the frameworks in place had made it difficult to prevent, but UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said that this would not become the new norm.
“League matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions. Our consultation confirmed the breadth of these concerns. I would like to thank the 55 national associations for their constructive and responsible engagement on such a sensitive issue”.
“While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent. Our commitment is clear: to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains anchored in its home environment”.
From an Arsenal perspective, Josh Kroenke, club co-chair and son of owner Stan Kroenke, went on record back in April 2021 after the Super League U-turn in a Fan Forum with supporters, answering questions in the wake of what he described as a “mistake.”
One of the fans asked him twice about the prospect of competitive home games being played away from North London. On the second attempt, he got the answer many fans had been hoping for.
“From a trust perspective, I’m not asking you to trust me,” Josh Kroenke said. “All of our trust was shredded this week; I fully understand that. That’s why I’m trying to rebuild some sort of relationship with the supporters, starting with yourselves.”
The fan insisted: “Can you guarantee we will never play home matches away from London while you and KSE own Arsenal?” Kroenke replied: “I can guarantee that.”
Arsenal travelled to Asia for their pre-season tour and regularly visited the United States during previous summers. The club continues to seek out similar opportunities for overseas fans to get closer to the Gunners’ stars but the stance of competitive home domestic fixtures appears firm.
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