Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has said he is “determined” to see a Premier League match staged in New York.
The concept of playing regular-season games abroad has been contentious ever since proposals for a ’39th game’ were floated – and abandoned amid fierce opposition – in 2008.
Yet it is an idea that continues to resurface periodically and Werner is the latest senior figure in the game to suggest it.
Werner told the Financial Times: “I’m determined one day to have a Premier League game be played in New York City.
“I even have the sort of crazy idea that there would be a day where we play one game in Tokyo, one game a few hours later in Los Angeles, one game a few hours later in Rio, one game a few hours later in Riyadh and make it sort of a day where football, where the Premier League, is celebrated.”
One of the principal arguments against such a plan has always been the potential cost to home-based supporters who may want to follow their team overseas.
Werner believes their travel could be subsidised.
He said: “Let’s figure out a way to offer them very cheap travel (and) accommodations so that if Liverpool is playing Nottingham Forest, we will support fans coming to New York and make this an attractive thing for the fans as well.”
As a counter-balance to Werner’s suggestion, Liverpool owner John W Henry said in the same FT article the idea was “not something that I advocate or am particularly interested in”.
It has also drawn a quick response from supporters group Spirit of Shankly, who have registered their disapproval.
Anyone determined to play competitive LFC Premier League matches abroad should remember that we as fans are determined they don’t. There’s lots of things that need to change in football - ticket prices, an independent regulator, financial fairness and more. Where we play doesn’t! https://t.co/sOENLos0UP
— Spirit of Shankly (@spiritofshankly) June 7, 2024
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A post from the group on X read: “Anyone determined to play competitive LFC Premier League matches abroad should remember that we as fans are determined they don’t.
“There’s lots of things that need to change in football – ticket prices, an independent regulator, financial fairness and more. Where we play doesn’t!”
Liverpool and the Premier League been approached for comment.
