Premier League Look Abroad

Clubs set to play additional match overseas

The 20 Premier League clubs are reported to have agreed in principle to a radical plan that would see each team playing an extra match a season abroad.

Under the proposal, matches between two Premier League sides could be staged in the Far East, Australia and the USA.
The League have called a news conference for this afternoon where it is expected they will confirm they are to explore the proposal of playing games in some of the world's largest cities.

A meeting of the 20 clubs are said to have agreed in principle to the plan. It is understood that the proposed overseas matches would not be the final fixtures of the season.

The idea would be to cash in on existing interest in the Premier League around the world, and the extra money generated from TV would be split equally among the 20 clubs.

The details of how the system would work have yet to be finalised but it would mean each club playing 39 games, with a draw to pick out each side's overseas match.

There would be a sporting criteria, such as league position, to decide which clubs play each other.

And under the proposal, points earned in the overseas game would count towards the final league position.