Overview

• UEFA granted reluctant, exceptional permission for Villarreal vs Barcelona in Miami in December and AC Milan vs Como in Perth in February.
• Gianni Infantino said the plan challenges football’s established national‑continental‑global structure and warned of a “big risk.”
• The Miami fixture needs CONCACAF clearance, the Perth match requires checks in Asia, and both await a final FIFA decision.
• Players such as Adrien Rabiot and Frenkie de Jong have criticized the move, and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has voiced objections despite the conditional go‑ahead.
• Bayern Munich chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen opposed taking league games abroad, while critics highlighted fairness concerns over Villarreal losing home advantage.