Despite UEFA’s recent “reluctant” decision to allow two European league matches to be played abroad, Portugal’s Liga Portugal (the body governing its professional football league competitions) has guaranteed that none of its matches will be played outside of Portugal.
“There is no plan to hold any of our competitions abroad. Our position is clear, and we have not received any proposals to that effect,” said Liga president Reinaldo Teixeira. “It’s time to reassure fans of all professional clubs: games from the Betclic League, Meu Super League and Allianz Cup (Portugal’s first and second division leagues and the League Cup) will only be played in Portugal.”
Liga Portugal added that any future exception “would need to be approved by the clubs and ensure that fans could travel without incurring extra costs.”
Marta Gens, president of the APDA (Portuguese Association for the Defence of Fans), welcomed the firm stance: “For us, this is an excellent starting point for a new era of collaboration with Liga Portugal. Commitments like this are what truly engage and protect supporters. We’re confident that through this joint working group, we can develop more measures that benefit all fans.”
As part of the meeting, Liga Portugal and APDA agreed to create a working group focused on fan-centred initiatives and to hold regular meetings with representatives of organized supporter groups.
Liga Portugal’s clarification comes following UEFA’s decision to allow two European league matches to be played abroad.
Spain’s La Liga clubs Villarreal and Barcelona are set to face each other in Miami this December in what would be the first European league fixture ever played abroad.
Then in February, AC Milan’s Serie A match against Como will be held in Perth, Australia.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, has voiced its “clear opposition” to the plans but said it “reluctantly” approved them due to the lack of a legal framework to block such matches.
“League matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
“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.”
