[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, FIFA has proposed limiting each league to hosting only one domestic league match overseas per season, and capping each host nation at a maximum of five such matches per year. Designed to tighten the approval criteria for so-called league “overseas matches”, these regulations further strengthen relevant requirements. Drafted by a working group established by FIFA nearly two years ago, the document sets clearer and stricter restrictions on staging domestic fixtures abroad. Each league will be permitted to relocate just one top-flight match outside its home territory per season, while every host country may hold no more than five fixtures from foreign leagues annually. For any application to stage league matches overseas, the rules mandate prior approval from the national football association of the participating clubs, the respective continental confederation, the host nation’s football federation and its continental governing body before submission to FIFA.
The editor believes that FIFA will hold the right of veto over all applications and may reject them on health grounds relating to players’ workload and excessive travel. The regulations require guarantees that revenue generated from domestic league matches held overseas will be reinvested into football, along with supporting evidence to prove that the host league will not suffer any adverse impact as a result.