Premier League ‘could be PREVENTED from playing matches outside UK by independent football regulator bill’ – as US seeks lucrative deal to show matches

The Premier League will no longer be able to host official league matches outside the UK by football’s new independent regulator.

FIFA paved the way for hosting competitive matches outside its home country last month after striking a deal with New York-based event promoter Relevent Sports.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has expressed interest in organizing league matches to be played across the Atlantic.

However, it appears England’s top flight will be unable to host domestic matches abroad in the United States due to the regulator, despite strong interest from across the Atlantic.

The IFR would be able to block matches played abroad, according to The Sun.

The Independent Football Regulator can prevent the Premier League from staging competitive matches abroad.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has already expressed interest in hosting matches in the United States.

Section 48(1) of the Football Governance Bill states: “A regulated club must inform the IFR where it considers that there is a reasonable likelihood that it will enter into arrangements whereby a relevant team that he manages would play its home matches at a ground other than the club’s ground.

The trend of playing competitive matches abroad has already started in the world’s top leagues. The Spanish and Italian Federations organize their Super Cups in Saudi Arabia.

The Premier League has already captured interest on the other side of the Atlantic with a Summer Series, where some of the division’s best teams compete in a pre-season competition in the United States.

Six teams took part in last year’s tournament, and Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal will all take part in the 2024 edition next summer.

However, due to this clause, the Premier League would have to seek approval from the new football regulator if it wanted to host matches during the 38-game season, abroad.

The lure of playing matches across the Atlantic could be there for the league, given that four of the so-called “Big Six” clubs are either partially or entirely American-owned.

Additionally, their American broadcast partner NBC apparently hopes that the league will one day hold matches across the Atlantic.

However, given that the regulator is able to block such decisions and the reaction to the possible European Super League means that such decisions are unlikely to be made.

The Premier League already runs a pre-season competition on the other side of the Atlantic called the Summer Series.

This cannot be said in Spain, as recent comments from Tebas suggest the matches could be played outside the country.

He said: “I think it could be in the 2025-26 season, but La Liga will play official matches abroad.

“An official match in the United States will strengthen our position in the North American market, which is the second largest market in La Liga after Spain.

“Other very competitive leagues are coming so we can’t always do the same thing, but we can’t allow them to overtake us.”