Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool to lead push for overseas Premier League matches - finance expert
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Ben Palmer
Sat 30 August 2025 9:00, UK
Premier League teams with owners from the USA will be at the forefront of a push for domestic games to take place overseas.
That is the verdict of football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the situation regarding overseas games was playing out similarly to the European Super League (ESL) in 2021.
Both Barcelona and AC Milan are set to play a domestic league match overseas this season, should they receive approval from FIFA.
Sources have told Football Insider exclusively that the Premier League have no plans to play matches overseas as things stand.
The idea is not a new one; the league previously toyed with the idea of a 39th Premier League game taking place abroad in 2008.
However, much like the ESL four years ago, there was a negative fan reaction to the proposal and it quickly disappeared.
But Plumley told Football Insider recently that despite there being no current plans, owners of Premier League teams would be interested in games abroad to boost revenue.
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This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley said that it was no surprise that Barcelona, one of the clubs at the forefront of the idea for the ESL, were now leading the charge to play games abroad.
The finance expert also said he felt that whilst owners will be keenly aware of a potential negative response from supporters, they would all be interested in the idea.
The likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal and Aston Villa are all US-owned, as well as Everton and Bournemouth, and Plumley believes they will be the primary driving force.
He said: “Any one of those teams in the top six with American owners.
And wider than that, you know, mostly all of them would be [interested in playing Premier League games overseas].
“It’s the same scenario you’ve seen play out with the Super League debacle; you’re seeing that now, it’s no coincidence that Barcelona were involved in that first game.
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“They would always be involved, and it would be the same in the Premier League.
If it does come from the Premier League, the league itself can push back a little bit on its clubs in that regard, and say, look, we don’t need to really upset people here for the sake of it.
“But it’s not going away.”
The appeal of matches taking place overseas largely stems from the boost to revenue that would accompany the games abroad.
The Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), and UEFA’s financial rules have placed an added onus on boosting revenue streams.
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Whilst the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea have a near-unlimited spending power at their disposal, the rules in place limit their outlay on incoming transfers.
Chelsea received a record-breaking fine from UEFA this summer and must comply with their rules, or they face the possibility of being barred from European competition.
A boost to their revenue streams would allow Premier League clubs to continue outspending their European rivals, making the idea of overseas games all the more appealing.