Two European giants, AC Milan and Manchester City, will face off in a pre-season friendly at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York on Saturday, 27 July 2024.
The match kicks off at 6pm Eastern Time and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
How to Watch:
Fans can watch the game for free with a trial to fuboTV or DirecTV Stream. Alternatively, a subscription to Sling TV, which offers £20 off the first month, will also grant access.
Match Details:
What: Club Friendly
Who: AC Milan vs. Manchester City
When: Saturday, 27 July 2024
Time: 6pm Eastern Time (11pm BST)
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
TV: ESPN
Channel Finder:
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Live Stream:
fuboTV (free trial)
Sling TV (offers £20 off the first month)
European Soccer Faces FIFA Over Calendar Clash:
The match comes amidst a brewing controversy between European football leagues and the governing body, FIFA, over the scheduling of international competitions.
On Tuesday, European leagues and player unions announced they will formally complain to the European Commission regarding FIFA's expansion of tournaments, citing the congested fixture schedule as a significant concern.
This complaint follows warnings issued to FIFA in May by European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe, who described the decision-making process regarding the expansion of the men's World Cup and Club World Cup as "inherently abusive." It also builds on a December ruling by the European Court of Justice which found FIFA and UEFA guilty of abusing their dominant position in a case brought by clubs seeking to launch a breakaway Super League.
Both European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe have accused FIFA of prioritising its own competitions and commercial interests, neglecting its responsibilities as a governing body, and damaging the economic interests of national leagues while putting players at risk.
FIFA, however, has countered these claims, suggesting that European leagues are motivated by commercial self-interest and hypocrisy, and that their concerns disregard the interests of the global football community.
The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, will now investigate FIFA's actions and determine whether they violate competition law.
The complaint filed with the Commission by Spain's La Liga and European leagues asserts that FIFA's actions constitute an abuse of dominance and a conflict of interest. They argue that FIFA's regulatory functions should be transparent, objective, non-discriminatory, and proportionate.
Impact on Football:
The upcoming World Cup in 2026, with its expansion to 48 teams, will see players potentially participating in eight games over a six-week tournament. This, alongside the relaunched 32-team Club World Cup in the US next June-July, will exacerbate the already congested calendar.
Adding to the pressure, UEFA's Champions League is also expanding with 36 teams playing a minimum of eight matches in a new format, creating further competition for midweek fixture slots.
The clash between FIFA and European football is set to continue, with potential implications for the future of the sport.