The sports advertising company and FIFA reached a settlement on Monday after Relevent Sports sued the U.S. Soccer Federation and afterward FIFA for what it termed as fraudulently” closing the doors of the United States to foreign soccer.”
Though the settlement does not fix Relevent’s claims against the other defendant, U. S. Soccer, it does possible signal a shift toward allowing Western leagues to hold normal- season matches in the U. S. in the future.
Relevent, which is owned by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, is in the business of organizing and promoting soccer occasions in the U. S. Its collection includes a 50- 50 cooperative venture with Spain’s LaLiga in North America that covers the team’s media rights, funding assets, fan events and grassroots efforts. It has attempted to stage matches between LaLiga and other similarly situated leagues that are affiliated with FIFA.

Relevent, who is represented by well-known sports antitrust lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, claims that FIFA and U.S. Soccer are excluding superior matches in a way that deprives American soccer fans and violates antitrust laws.
FIFA, a Swiss nonprofit organization, denies any wrongdoing, alleges Relevent has failed to demonstrate anticompetitive market effects from FIFA rules, and insists Relevent has failed to establish the New York court has jurisdiction over FIFA. FIFA has certain rules that its affiliated associations, including U. S. Soccer, must follow and that are intended to provide quality control and meet similar objectives.
Details of the settlement, which must be approved by U. S. District Judge Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York, are not known. Relevent claims that the agreement “opens the door for collaborating to bring international league play to the U.S.” in a statement shared with Sportico. S”. The company’s CEO, Danny Sillman, adds that FIFA will consider” changes to its existing rules about whether games can be played outside of a league’s home territory”.
Relevent announced plans to host a regular-season LaLiga game between Lionel Messi’s Barcelona and Girona in Miami in 2018. The legal battle dates back to 2018. In response, FIFA clarified its foreign match policy, which said official league matches must be played within its member association’s geographic territory ( in this case, Spain ). When Barcelona withdrew, Relevent organized a 2018- 19 match between Girona and Guayaquil in Miami. U. S. Soccer refused to sanction that match and Relevent sued, starting the legal process.
Relevent is not the only company eagerly following the status of FIFA’s rules and the outcome of this conflict ( and LaLiga is not the only league ). Nearly every major stakeholder sees the United States as a major growth area as soccer transitions into a truly international business. European teams are opening U. S. offices, partnering with U. S. clubs, holding American training tours, and playing summer exhibitions on U. S. soil. Holding actual league games is a continuation of those opportunities, and it cuts more deeply into leagues like LaLiga or England’s Premier League.

Relevent has vowed to eventually host regular season LaLiga games in the U.S. Sillman previously stated to ESPN that it would take place before the 2026 men’s World Cup in North America.