UEFA’s general secretary Gianni Infantino has stated that he did not think UEFA would support the Premier League playing a round of fixtures overseas.
“Whenever these kind of things are discussed, we have to act in a responsible way within the rules that we’ve all agreed together,” Infantino told delegates at the Leaders In Sport Summit in London.
“Let’s see what is the decision of UEFA on this. I don’t think it will change (from 2008), it would be discussed, but I don’t think it will change.”
FIFA executive committee member Michel D’Hooghe was also asked if he supported the idea of a round of games being played overseas.
“My personal opinion is that this is a very dangerous precedent and I am not in favour,” he said.
“I understand the reasons why they would like to do it, they are financial I suppose, but if you start doing that, where does it end?
“If there is one thing I have learned in my 40 years as president of the Belgium Football Association you must be afraid of the word ‘precedent.’ If you do something special for one why refuse it for someone else.
“If it would be my decision at FIFA, I would not allow it.”
The Premier League’s chief executive Richard Scudamore was criticised six years ago for a plan to introduce an extra match for each club – the so-called “39th game” – at venues across the world.
However, it has been reported in Britain that clubs have discussed the idea again and that the revised plan would be for one of the existing 38 rounds of 10 fixtures to be played at various overseas locations.
A Premier League spokesman did not deny the plans had been discussed but said: “There are currently no proposals on the table.”
