FIFA to probe plan for games ‘overseas’
Under FIFA’s statutes, any competitive fixture played in a foreign territory needs the approval of the body’s executive committee as well as the football association of the country in which the game is to be played.
FIFA will now ask the Premier League for the official documents relating to their proposals to hold 10 league matches in foreign cities from the 2010-11 season.
Blatter said: “FIFA has been made aware through media reports of these plans. We will expect official documents from the Premier League to be sent to us and the matter will be brought to the attention of the executive at our next meeting, who will then look at the matter.”
The Premier League were keen to stress yesterday they have only just begun the consultation process over plans to play an ‘international round’ of matches after Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson criticised the decision to go public on the issue.
Ferguson refused to give his opinion on the proposal, which would see every top-flight club play an extra match a season in a foreign city. The 20 clubs yesterday voted in principle to explore the proposal, which would take effect from the 2010-11 season.
Ferguson said: “What disappoints me is United chief executive David Gill phoned me and said ‘keep this quiet, we are going to discuss it’ and then it’s all over the papers this morning.
“They can’t keep their mouth shut down there.
“I think if they are going to do these things, they should have been enquiring and having discussions with managers and players before they come out with all this.”
Responding to Ferguson’s remarks, a Premier League spokesman said: “This is the start of the consultation process, not the end.
“It was given to the clubs yesterday so that they can initiate that process.
“This is a proposal which everybody knows needs a lot of work and a lot of consideration before it takes its final shape.”
Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan welcomed plans to take Premier League football to a wider audience.
He said: “From what I understand, it has been well thought out. It is a 39th game.
“The trouble with a lot of people is when something new comes into the arena, they want to find reasons to knock it.
Reading manager Steve Coppell has also given his backing to the proposals.
The former England winger welcomed the prospect of an extra fixture in front of a foreign audience.
He said: “It’s good, it’s innovative. We are the prime league in the world at the moment.”
There has been contrasting reaction to the proposal from beyond Britain.
Football Federation Australia boss Ben Buckley would be happy to discuss the idea with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore but the governing body are not currently aware of the proposal and prefer to focus on their own domestic competitions.
“FFA’s overwhelming priority is to promote the Hyundai A-League and to continue to invest in, and grow, the game in Australia,” Buckley said.
Japanese Football Association vice-president Junji Ogura was quick to play down the possibility of the Premier League staging fixtures there.
“It sounds problematic,” Ogura said.
“We are, in principle, opposed to having their games in Japan as we have to protect our league and clubs.
“In Japan, we don’t allow anyone to play a match that involves only foreign clubs and no Japanese clubs.”
LA Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas said it would be an opportunity for Americans to see the level of the English game, while a spokesman for the Spanish top flight insisted it was not something La Liga clubs had yet discussed doing themselves.
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