The recent men's World Cup in North America, featuring 48 teams, has been described as a significant commercial triumph. The tournament reportedly broke attendance records, with 6.8 million people attending games and stadiums operating at 99.7% capacity. Official figures indicate that ticket and hospitality sales generated $3 billion, with an additional 5.5 million attending Fifa's fan festivals.
This success has reportedly increased pressure on Fifa to make a decision regarding domestic leagues holding matches in overseas locations. Adam Dale, a sports lawyer, noted that the World Cup demonstrated American fans' willingness to watch and pay for top-tier football, drawing parallels to the popularity of Lionel Messi in MLS.
Fifa's previous outright refusal to sanction overseas games ended in 2023 after an antitrust case. A working group was then convened to examine conditions for permitting such games. While this group has yet to report its recommendations, appetite for overseas fixtures has not diminished. LaLiga and Italy's Serie A both scheduled overseas games last season, though these plans were eventually cancelled.
The Fifa working group has reportedly discussed allowing leagues a maximum of one overseas game and limiting countries like the US to hosting five visiting fixtures per season. These recommendations would require approval from the Fifa Council. While some European leagues, such as LaLiga and Serie A, are reportedly eager, the Premier League is not expected to pursue similar plans.