BERLIN :There will be no competitive German matches held outside the country, as is the case with some other European nations, German Football League (DFL) boss Hans-Joachim Watzke said on Wednesday.
Watzke, the chairman of the DFL supervisory board who is also a German Football Association vice-president, said he would voice that opinion at European soccer’s governing body UEFA. Watzke is also a UEFA vice president.
“As long as I am here in the league responsible, there will be no match abroad, when it comes to competitive matches. Full stop,” Watzke told a press conference after his re-election in the DFL.
“It is not open to interpretation. I think at UEFA there are more people deciding on this. But as far as UEFA is concerned, my opinion is relatively clear.”
There are no plans for any German competitive matches to be played outside the country, unlike Italy which played its Supercup in Saudi Arabia in January. Spain’s LaLiga approved in August to hold the league match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami on December 20, with Real Madrid opposing the decision.
AC Milan’s Serie A clash with Como could become the first major European domestic league fixture played outside its home country after Italy’s football federation (FIGC) gave the green light in July for the match to be staged in Perth, Australia next year.
Supporters’ groups from across Europe voiced their opposition to such matches, saying they undermined the rules of the competition for short-term financial gain and were detrimental to the clubs’ community character.
