New York –

Serie A is laying the groundwork to bring a competitive fixture to the U.S. in the next two years, although several hurdles stand in the way of making the idea a reality.

“We would love to do it,” said Serie A’s commercial and marketing director Michele Ciccarese at a press event held in Manhattan recently. Ciccarese was flanked by the newly-elected president of Serie A, Ezio Simonelli. “We are working to piece together the necessary approvals from the authorities, which is essential and should happen within one to two years.

Ciccarese detailed the procedural steps needed to host a match in the U.S., acknowledging the difficulty in acquiring approval.

“One to two years, potentially. If we can get the appropriate endorsements from UEFA and FIFA, then we can approach local communities for consent. This is straightforward in theory, but coordinating the various stakeholders is challenging,” he noted.

The prospect of holding regular season games is becoming more common in sports, as leagues like the NFL and NBA frequently host international games. Soccer clubs often tour internationally during pre-season, primarily in the U.S. or Asia.

However, securing authorization for competitive matches abroad is tricky. An attempt was made in 2019 by Ecuador’s top men’s league to host a fixture in Miami, but the event was not sanctioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation, leading Relevent Sports to pursue legal action. A settlement was reached with FIFA last year, but the details remain undisclosed.

Ciccarese emphasized that while growing the league’s presence in the U.S. is crucial, it must be balanced with local fan expectations. “If we want to be market leaders, we must engage our audience back home while expanding abroad. We should be careful not to upset our loyal Italian fans.”