NYON: Aleksander Ceferin, president of European federation UEFA, has refuted claims from Spain that the Champions League Final could be staged in the United States.

Jaumes Roures, chief executive of Spanish broadcaster Mediapro, told a Catalan radio channel that discussions were already under way about taking the European club game’s major event outside the continent for the first time.

Roures told Catalunya Radio’s El Mati show:”Talks are ongoing investigating the feasibility of hosting a future Champions League final in New York City.” Mediapro holds the rights to the Champions League in Spain but distributes it to domestic telecommunications firm Telefonica.

The 2019 final is set to be played at Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano with the 2020 edition hosted at the Atatürk Stadium, Istanbul, meaning the earliest that a New York final could feasibly take place is 2021. The venue is expected to be announced in June 2019 with host applications to be submitted by late October.

However Ceferin said: “This idea is currently not being discussed at all. UEFA has no plans to host the Champions League final outside of Europe.”

Roures’s comment followed the prospect of Girona’s home LaLiga game against Barcelona being staged in Miami in January. The clubs are currently seeking permission from the Spanish federation. The USSF is not expected to oppose a foreign league match being played on its territory.

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