Will Premier League Games Soon Be Played Overseas?
Recent comments from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, have reignited the debate about whether Premier League fixtures will ever be played outside England.
Sadiq Khan was discussing events in the English capital during a recent appearance on the Sports Agents podcast when he was asked about the possibility of Premier League games being played abroad. His response, ‘I think that’s the way it is going,’ has not gone down well with domestic supporters.
The Mayor of London’s comments drew widespread criticism from football fans on social media. In a post on X, The Football Supporters Association even suggested he ‘talk to matchgoers to find out what supporters really want’.
However, many in the game believe Khan was only stating the obvious. The Premier League is the world’s biggest football league, dominating Europe’s other top leagues regarding worldwide viewership. The volume of betting on the Premier League and social media interactions generated by the league also eclipses any other domestic football competition.
Overseas fans represent the overwhelming majority of the league’s fanbase. So it’s likely inevitable that we’ll see games played outside of England at some point. England’s top clubs have millions of fans across multiple international markets, including the Middle East, Asia and the USA.
American sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB have all played competitive games outside their traditional North American markets. The NFL was the real pioneer, and all 32 teams have now played at least once in London.
Other European football leagues have also experimented with playing games abroad, with four of the last five Spanish Super Cups being played in Saudi Arabia.
The big difference between football clubs and their American counterparts is their origins. Most European clubs were founded by local communities, often over a century ago. American sports teams are franchises founded solely as money-making ventures. European football clubs’ historical ties to their local area and population make implementing this type of change very difficult.
Should this proposal ever become a reality, there would be significant backlash from domestic fans. The overwhelming majority of English fans are heavily against overseas games. There was a major outcry against the Premier League’s proposed ’39th Game’ plan when that surfaced, and it’s unlikely the attitude of match-going fans has shifted on this issue in subsequent years.
However, as Premier League clubs are always looking for ways to increase their revenue, the prospect of overseas games becomes more likely every year. If any of Europe’s other top leagues begin to play competitive games abroad, you can expect the Premier League to quickly follow.
