• Premier League

Premier League to reconsider playing matches abroad

More than 109,000 fans saw Manchester United play Real Madrid in a friendly at Michigan Stadium in August © Getty Images

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The Premier League is to resurrect its plan to play a round of competitive fixtures abroad, according to reports.

The idea of taking Premier League matches 'on tour' around the globe was first mooted in 2008 and promoted as the '39th game', which was to be an extra game added to the league calendar but played outside England.

It was a public relations disaster, met by huge opposition from supporters, FIFA and leaders of national associations around the world who were concerned at the impact of having official games played in their country.

Football Supporters' Federation response

• The Football Supporters' Federation has hit out at suggestions that the Premier League is once again considering playing a round of competitive matches abroad.
  
  In a statement, the FSF criticised Premier League officials for failing to consult fans' groups and ignoring potential problems with season tickets and local derbies.
  
  "Once again the idea of potentially huge changes to the game has arisen without consultation with one of the groups who matters most - the fans," the FSF statement read. "If the reaction to previous incarnations of 'Game 39' and the idea of matches abroad is anything to go by, we expect this proposal to be met with the strongest possible opposition from supporters.
  
  "The potential impact on the value of season tickets, which would see fans of half the Premier League clubs missing out a home match, could be enormous. Inevitably some of the fixtures to be moved will be either local derbies or other high-profile fixtures.
  
  "The FSF is against the proposals as they have been reported, and will be consulting with Premier League fans' groups and individuals to formulate an appropriate response."

The Premier League eventually scrapped the idea and in 2010 chief executive Richard Scudamore insisted there were no plans to resurrect the '39th game' - but two months ago he indicated there was a softening of the League's stance.

"The clubs wanted it then and they all would still probably want it now," Scudamore said at the Premier League season launch. "It will happen at some point. Whether it is on my watch, who knows?"

Now it is reported that the idea was back on the agenda when club chairmen and chief executives met for the Premier League shareholders' meeting in September.

Envious eyes have been cast at the NFL, which has successfully held competitive matches at Wembley Stadium since 2007.

Pre-season tours to Asia, South Africa, Australia and the United States have become increasingly lucrative and clubs are eager to tap into the global market. When Manchester United played Real Madrid in Michigan this summer, a record football attendance for the United States of 109,318 filled the stadium.

Premier League clubs may also feel they are missing out on further financial windfalls as Europe's major clubs begin to announce lucrative friendlies in the Gulf during their winter "breaks." AC Milan will play Real Madrid in the Dubai Football Challenge on December 30, before Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid side take on PSG in Qatar on January 2.

The Italian Super Cup, between Juventus and Milan, will this year take place in Qatar on December 22 after being played in Beijing's National Stadium in three of the last five seasons.

Manchester United are already considering playing friendlies in Qatar during their empty midweeks with no European football on the agenda.

A modified plan could see one game from the standard 38-game season moved abroad, rather than an extra match which it was claimed would undermine the integrity of the competition. But that would mean half the Premier League clubs - and their fans - would lose a home match. Any plan to move games away from their home stadiums is sure to be strongly opposed by supporters' groups.

The tender documents for the next television deals, which will cover the 2016-2019 seasons, are due to go out shortly and as such it is unlikely that any change could be implemented before the 2019-20 campaign.

It does seem possible that the FA could follow the Italian model and move the Community Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser which has suffered from dwindling interest from fans, abroad when the current agreement with Wembley ends in 2018.

Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins told the Times that while the idea was unpalatable it had to be embraced.

"I think it is inevitable it is going to happen," he said. "While we may not be 100% about it, as passionate football supporters just watching football as we have it, it's going to be a big change.

"The other side of it is that we have got to make sure we are on the bandwagon with them or we are going to be left behind."

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