On a bright summer Saturday in Inglewood, California, two of the Premier League’s most iconic rivals clashed on the field, but the main story revolved around injuries to key Manchester United players, Rasmus Højlund and new signing Leny Yoro, following Arsenal’s 2-1 victory, where the London team’s standout players, Gabriels Jesus and Martinelli, found the net.
While it was merely a pre-season match, the injuries were arguably the most significant takeaway from this encounter. However, this could soon change; upcoming fixtures like this week’s clash between Liverpool and Arsenal in Philadelphia, or Chelsea against Man City in Columbus, might actually influence the league standings.
The catalyst for this transformation lies just nine miles away from where Milan and Man City held their own exhibition match in New York City on Saturday: the Southern District Court of New York, where in 2019, event promoter Relevent Sports filed a lawsuit against US Soccer and FIFA. The suit was instigated when US Soccer declined to grant Relevent the rights to host an Ecuadorian league match in the US. Earlier this year, FIFA struck a deal with Relevent to withdraw from the suit, agreeing to modify its statute while denying any wrongdoing.
Although FIFA has yet to remove that statute, it has committed to doing so by the end of this year and has called for a review of the rule at its last Congress in May. Any interpretation of the situation suggests that the removal of this rule is nearly certain, paving the way for Premier League matches taking place on US soil—be they official league games or part of a revamped cup competition.
As we await these games, this summer’s US tour matches occupy an unusual space: they are no longer just casual warm-ups but potentially precursors to a more demanding club season. Players will not only compete in a greater number of significant games but will also find themselves in an unprecedented variety of venues far removed from the hometowns their clubs once represented.
Resistance exists against these prospective overseas games, particularly from grassroots fans. Those who fill club stadiums each week understandably feel slighted that their domestic leagues would prioritize commercial gains over the loyal supporters who helped establish those very platforms for success. It mirrors the European Super League controversy, albeit in a different guise.
It’s important to note that while English fans are pushing for better kickoff times, team owners might one day have their eyes set on hosting high-profile North London derbies in cities like New York, Los Angeles, or even Nome, Alaska.
The dialogue surrounding this issue is intense and relevant within a broader context of globalization, making it apparent that it transcends just football. The consensus is clear: this trend seems impossible to reverse.
“We have seven Premier League clubs in London, but considering how the Premier League operates, a large portion of its revenue comes from TV rights,” stated London mayor Sadiq Khan during an interview on the Sports Agents podcast. “The argument from the Premier League and some club owners is, why shouldn’t fans abroad enjoy a competitive game too?”
What remains unstated, perhaps taken for granted, is the substantial benefit clubs would gain as well. Most estimates put the commercial revenue generated from pre-season tours at over $10 million for Premier League clubs, explaining why Europe’s top teams consistently make the US a necessary stop. Initially, in the early 2000s, they entered the market due to its untapped potential, but today, with well-constructed infrastructure and eager fans ready to fill venues regardless of the stakes, they have come to fully embrace the opportunity.
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In 2014, the friendly match organized by Relevent between Manchester United and Real Madrid at Michigan Stadium broke records, drawing an astonishing 109,000 spectators—still regarded as the largest attendance at a soccer match in US history. The weekend’s games maintained strong attendance figures, even in places like South Bend, Indiana, which seldom witness top-tier soccer events, as seen in the sold-out Chelsea-Celtic match. Sunday’s Liverpool-Man United encounter in South Carolina also sold out in just hours, with ticket prices in the hundreds—even for matches that lack significance.
Moreover, the value of these tours extends beyond financial calculations. Each day spent in the US by a European club provides opportunities for player promotion that they might not access otherwise—like Christian Pulisic appearing on NBC’s The Tonight Show this week, facilitated by Milan’s visit to New York. This kind of mainstream exposure for soccer stars is seldom seen in the US outside of World Cup events, and organizations like Relevent play a significant role in generating both activity and revenue.
It’s easy to envision how introducing competitive games could further amplify these trends, making it increasingly hard to imagine that it won’t occur soon. Thus, while these summer friendlies may seem trivial, it’s wise to savor them while they are still just that.
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This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly insight from the Guardian US regarding the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Jonathan will return from his summer break next week with a mailbag edition ahead of the new season. You can email your questions to soccerwithjw@theguardian.com.
