Football news - Premier League considering having 'meaningful' matches abroad - report

ByEurosport

Updated 27/09/2021 at 10:40 GMT

Premier League shareholders are looking at new ways to grow audiences internationally and a roadmap for meaningful matches abroad was discussed at their shareholders meeting last week. It comes 13 years after the idea of playing Premier League matches abroad was floated to English football's governing bodies by former Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

Everton played in a pre-season tournament in Florida earlier this year

Image credit: Getty Images

The Premier League are discussing having meaningful matches abroad, according to a report.

The Athletic claim that Premier League shareholders discussed a "roadmap for meaningful matches abroad" last week at the Landmark Hotel in London.

According to the report USA, China, India, Brazil and Indonesia have been identified as key markets where the Premier League are keen to bring in new supporters.

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The first step on the "roadmap" would be to have an enhanced pre-season tournament next summer in USA with a longer-term view of having competitive games played abroad.

Richard Scudamore proposed an extra round of matches - "the 39th game" - to be played abroad in 2008, but the proposal was scrapped with UEFA, FIFA and the FA all opposed to the idea.

However Scudamore said in August 2014: "It will happen at some point".

Gary Neville has responded to the reported talks on Twitter.

He wrote: "They don’t learn this lot do they? Enough now, Regulator please ASAP to stop these grabs."

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