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Premier League set to stage pre-season tournament in the US

A header from Newcastle United player Joelinton hits the post during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on October 15, 2022 in Manchester, England

The Premier League is in advanced talks to stage an enhanced pre-season tournament involving six teams in the United States, according to The Athletic.

The EPL’s appeal is incredible, and league bosses are looking to leverage it. They want to hold meaningful games overseas and tap into new markets.

However, when the same outlet reported the Premier League’s intentions in September 2021, league officials insisted that regular-season fixtures were not part of the plan.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting issues prevented the idea from happening, but it remained on the agenda. It will now materialise in 2023.

The pre-season tournament could see six Premier League clubs split into two groups. They will each play two rounds of friendlies in multiple cities on the east and west coasts of the US.

The Premier League expects to use this as a brand booster and believe they will fill out big stadiums.

They also want to use the tournament to attract interest from sponsors and generate lucrative broadcast rights deals.

There is no high-profile international tournament next summer, so clubs will have their top stars available for the games.


The league chiefs consider this crucial because the US is preparing to co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada.

At least 14 of the 20 current league clubs are happy to participate in the tournament. However, the so-called Big Six’s intentions are unclear.

Premier League clubs think this tournament will be a superior version of the Premier League Asia Trophy.

The tournament was a two-day biennial contest. It ran from 2003 until 2019 across Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China and Singapore.

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