'You may not like it' - New Jersey governor says Premier League matches in United States in league's 'self-interest' and he 'would die' to see it happen

Murphy strongly advocates for the United States to host Premier League matches, emphasising that such a move aligns with the league's long-term self-interest. New Jersey is home to MetLife Stadium, a massive 82,500-capacity venue, where the 2026 World Cup final will be hosted and the governor is keen to bring Premier League fixtures to its shores as well.

Executives at NBC Sports, which secured a six-year Premier League broadcasting deal worth $2.7 billion, are advocating for an in-season Premier League match to be played in the United States each year. Richard Masters, the Premier League's chief executive, hinted that the league is open to the idea, stating that the "door looks ajar" for overseas games, though it is not currently part of their official plans.

When asked about the possibility of hosting competitive Premier League matches, Governor Murphy's enthusiasm was palpable. ViaThe Athletic,Murphy said: "I would die for that. And by the way, the exhibitions - we will have Real and Barcelona on August 3, we’ll have to shrink our capacity a little bit for FIFA - every ticket was sold and the game didn’t count. I would love to - I would die - to see what happens in a game that counts. It would sell every ticket and then some.”

However, the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) has voiced strong opposition to the idea and has assured that they would vehemently protest if the proposal sees daylight.

Addressing this backlash, Murphy suggested looking to the NFL for strategies to mitigate fan dissatisfaction. The NFL successfully added an extra game to its season, targeting fans with incentives to balance the additional fixtures. Murphy believes a similar approach could be adopted for Premier League games.

“I’d probably go to the NFL and get their advice," he added. "They added an extra game - it wasn’t explicitly for European or non-U.S. games, but that helped them a lot, because instead of having 16 games where you’ve got eight home and eight away, they took the nine home game crowd, targeted them, and then put a lot of goodies in store (to make it worthwhile).

“I think you’ve also got to make the case to say that this is in their enlightened self interest, even though it may not appear to be in their immediate self-interest. I think you could make the argument that you may not like it today, but ultimately this is good for the game.”

FIFA is considering forming a working group to explore the implications of holding competitive domestic matches in foreign countries. This initiative, reported by BBC Sport, follows a legal settlement between FIFA and U.S. match promoter Relevant Sports. This move signals FIFA's growing interest in expanding football's reach beyond traditional boundaries.

Meanwhile, La Liga is also eyeing the possibility of overseas matches, with preparations underway for fixtures as early as the 2025-26 season. This comes after the league's previous attempt to host a match between Barcelona and Girona in Miami in 2019 was cancelled. La Liga's renewed efforts indicate a broader trend of major football leagues considering international venues to engage global fan bases.

Murphy also held a meeting with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin ahead of the Euros final. While he did not divulge details of their private conversation, he reaffirmed his public support for hosting UEFA Champions League games in the United States.

“I don’t want to talk about a private discussion, but I will say this, I have been so publicly in supportive of this, he probably didn’t need to ask my opinion," he said. "Everybody on the planet knows that I would love to see (these games). We would all love to see (this) not just me — a game that matters. Again, I’m all for the exhibitions. We sell every ticket to these games. We love them, but we would die for a game that counts, either in a domestic league or in a Champions League setting.”

With influential figures and organisations pushing for competitive games on American soil, the future could see a more globalised approach to football's most prestigious leagues. This potential change promises to bring the excitement of top-tier football to fans across the world, fostering a deeper connection to the sport.