UEFA Looking To Stage Mini-Tournaments In U.S. To Increase Global Revenue

UEFA is looking at "staging mini-tournaments involving the continent's leading clubs" outside Europe during preseason, with the U.S. the most likely location, according to Charles Sale of the London DAILY MAIL. UEFA has been considering ways of "increasing global interest in sponsorship and media rights, and elevating games that already involve their marquee teams" by giving them UEFA branding and organization is the preferred option. Planning for this initiative started two years ago, when UEFA examined "staging the qualifying rounds for the Champions League and Europa League outside Europe within a knockout tournament format." Though that "ambitious blueprint could be revisited in future, it was felt taking so many competitive fixtures out of Europe was fraught with difficulties." Nevertheless, countries in Asia and the Middle East, as well as America, "will welcome the current UEFA thinking" (DAILY MAIL, 10/7).