PIF-sponsored club in talks to break FIFA rules - worrying news for Newcastle United & Premier League rivals

Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in the United States has been proposed as a venue for the Spanish league fixture. As things stand, Barcelona are scheduled to play Atletico Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on the weekend of December 22.

Barcelona are the most indebted club in world football with its Camp Nou stadium is currently undergoing redevelopment. Meanwhile Atletico Madrid have recently agreed the biggest commercial deal in the club’s history by signing stadium naming rights over to PIF-owned company Riyadh Air, who is also the club’s main sponsor.

According to Mail Online, the fixture change will be subject to FIFA, UEFA and Spanish FA approval. The Spanish FA have previously opposed La Liga’s plans to play fixtures in the United States during Luis Rubiales’ spell as president.

But there is hope from La Liga that the Spanish FA will soften to the idea now that Rubiales has left his post.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has publicly discussed the prospect of playing matches in the United States. Last summer he said: “It’s a mark of respect to the US fans [of La Liga]. We are seeing NBA and NFL playing in Europe or in Mexico. This would resonate in the American market.”

Spanish football has been the most open to playing matches abroad out of any major European country. Supercopa de España has taken place on foreign shores in five of the last six seasons. Four of those games have been held in Saudi Arabia while the 2018 match took place in Morocco.

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Although the Spanish FA may have warmed to the idea of playing competitive domestic matches abroad, FIFA opposes the idea with its rules stating that official league matches must be played within the territory of its respective member association.

While La Liga will push for the match to go ahead, there is still work to do before the pre-Christmas clash is approved.

Should it get the green light, it opens the floodgates for a potentially worrying trend given the pressures on clubs to maximise their commercial income. In England, clubs are put in a difficult position by the Premier League’s rules that limit the ability to generate commercial revenue through Associated Party Transactions and punish clubs that don’t generate enough revenue compared to their spending with points deductions.

The Football Association and Premier League are understood to be opposed to the idea of playing domestic matches abroad, despite the potential financial benefits.

However, a more palatable alternative in the form of the Premier League Summer Series which takes place across the United States has been established. The pre-season tournament features several Premier League clubs in a small league format.

The Premier League Summer Series is set to return next summer after a hiatus in 2024. Newcastle took part in the inaugural Summer Series in 2023 as they finished third behind Aston Villa and winners Chelsea.

The nine matches saw an average attendance of 46,916 per game with Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta attracting the biggest crowd with 70,789 in attendance.

For now, that should be the limit regarding English fixtures on foreign shores. But if La Liga’s plans are approved by FIFA,