Skip to main content
BBC SPORT / PREMIER LEAGUE
Graphics Version | BBC News Home
Sport Homepage | Football | Formula 1 | Olympics | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorsport | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish Premier | Scottish League | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Internationals | Europe | African Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Final Score | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game

Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 14:50 GMT

US reluctant to host Premier ties

Graphic The Premier League would only be allowed to take their games to America if Fifa permits them, according to the chief of the US Soccer Federation.

The comments follow the announcement that the English body is considering other countries hosting its games.

"We've been reluctant to have official games played in the US," US Soccer chief Sunil Gulati told BBC Sport.

"We'll be guided by Fifa on this matter. But if it's not in line with its rules then we won't sanction it."

606: DEBATE
"If games abroad are introduced then I won't bother with it anymore"
Berba_Is_King

The Premier League's proposal to have a 39th round of games has aroused widespread criticism, but chief executive Richard Scudamore has remained defiant, insisting that the extension would have a positive rather than negative effect of the sport.

"Clearly, there are a lot of hurdles to overcome," he told the BBC.

"We've seen how sport is globalising, we compete in the entertainment industry.

"We understand it's a global sport but it's about nurturing the home game"
US Soccer chief Sunil Gulati

"This is a solidarity move where all 20 clubs want to do it. It benefits all of them and it's far better we all do it rather than allow single clubs to."

Gulati, the president of the US Soccer Federation, said he had read about the proposals but that his federation had yet to be approached by the Premier League.

The US Soccer chief added that he was unsure whether acting as hosts would help the growth of football in his own country.

"We had a similar proposal 10 years ago when a team playing in Los Angeles wanted to play in the Mexican league," he said.

"We didn't let that happen and Concacaf (the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) said no.

"We understand it's a global sport but it's about nurturing the home game.

"If Fifa said 'OK, it's up to the relevant FA's, then we would look at the Premier League proposal.

"We've got a great relationship with the English FA and there's a lot of good reasons to look at it.

"But there are also some issues that we've got which would cause us to be very hesitant."



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:

How to watch Match of the Day (08 Oct 07 |  Match of the Day )
League defiant on overseas plan (10 Feb 08 |  Premier League )
Top clubs consider overseas games (07 Feb 08 |  Premier League )
Mixed reaction to overseas plan (07 Feb 08 |  Premier League )
What they say on overseas games (07 Feb 08 |  Premier League )
Premier League going global (07 Feb 08 |  Premier League )
USA 'should host Premier matches' (26 Oct 07 |  Premier League )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Premier League
Football on the BBC
Your say - 606
Radio Five Live commentaries
BBC Sport club pages
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC SPORT: 

Sport Homepage | Football | Formula 1 | Olympics | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorsport | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish Premier | Scottish League | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Internationals | Europe | African Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Final Score | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game

^ Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | Feedback | Help | ©