Club America president ready to play Liga MX games in the US

Club América president Santiago Baños has opened the door for his team to play future Liga MX games in the United States.

The move would be part of a massive shift in global football if, as expected, FIFA lifts its current ban on teams playing league matches abroad.

Organizer Relevent Sports filed a lawsuit against FIFA and US Soccer in 2019, challenging that ban after US Soccer refused to sanction a La Liga match between Girona and Barcelona in Miami.

Last month, Relevent and FIFA agreed to exclude FIFA from the lawsuit, leaving US Soccer as the sole defendant. FIFA has since said it will likely change the ban before the end of 2024.

That would open the door for América, one of the most popular teams in the Western Hemisphere with a legion of fans in the United States. Already, read Águilas In addition to the Leagues Cup, the team also plays a number of friendly matches in the USA.

“We are not against the possibility of playing in the United States as a home team, now that the lawsuit is over and it looks like there is a possibility of other teams playing there as well,” Baños told reporters before the first leg of the Liga MX finals on Thursday against Cruz Azul.

“It would be incredible to play in the United States and other (Mexican) states because we have so many fans.”

Baños also confirmed that Sunday's return match will be his team's last game at the Estadio Azteca before it closes for renovations ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

He said that América will be based at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Mexico City starting next season, but the club could also play its home games in other parts of Mexico.

América would not be the only party interested in moving league games to the lucrative US market.

La Liga president Javier Tebas said last month he believed the Spanish top flight would play games in the United States as early as the 2025/26 season.