Liverpool owners John Henry and Tom Werner disagree with each other on holding Reds fixtures away from Anfield

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has stated his desire to see a Premier League match played in New York and in a number of other major cities across the globe.

Werner, who controls the second largest block of shares in Fenway Sports Group, was named Liverpool chairman in November 2010 following FSG’s purchase of the Anfield club from Tom Hicks and George Gillet.

The idea of Premier League games outside of England has been discussed in the past but as it stands there are no plans for such an event. American broadcasters have made no secret of their desire to see it happen, however, and Werner has publicly backed their sentiments.

“I’m determined one day to have a Premier League game be played in New York City,” Werner told the Financial Times. “I even have the sort of crazy idea that there would be a day where we play one game in Tokyo, one game a few hours later in Los Angeles, one game a few hours later in Rio, one game a few hours later in Riyadh and make it sort of a day where football, where the Premier League, is celebrated.”

Werner was quick to caveat his plan with the proposal to offer cheap flights and accommodation to local supporters in recognition of the potential backlash such a decision would cause. His business partner and principal owner of FSG and Liverpool John Henry admitted in the same interview that plans for a Premier League game abroad was “not something that I advocate or am particularly interested in”.

Premier League clubs have regularly travelled to the United States for pre-season tours across the country. The issue could come back into sharp focus next year amid comments from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who claims the Spanish top flight is keen to play competitive domestic games in the USA as soon as the 2025-26 season. Tebas had plans to hold a fixture between Barcelona and Girona at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium back in 2018 but fierce opposition from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and FIFA scuppered those hopes.

"I don't know when, but this time La Liga will play official games abroad," Tebas told Expansión in April. "I think it could be from the 2025-26 season. An official game in the United States would strengthen our position in the North American market, which is the second [biggest] for La Liga after Spain. Other really competitive leagues are coming, so we can't always do the same thing. They would jump ahead of us."

Despite being home to two of the worlds biggest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona, La Liga’s finances are dwarfed by the Premier League. The Premier League’s most recent domestic TV deal was worth a staggering £6.7bn compared to just £1.1bn for La Liga. A desire to take games abroad is likely born out of the fact they need to further expand their global appeal to catch up to the worldwide popularity of the Premier League.

A previous plan to take Premier League matches abroad was proposed back in 2008. A 39th game was suggested for every club with the entire round of matches to be played in venues outside England.

The plans were openly rebuked by FIFA president at the time Sepp Blatter and then UEFA president Michel Platini. The former France international said in 2008: "It will never be received by FIFA, by the fans or the national associations. It's a nonsense idea. I am sure FIFA will never accept it because it's not good for football. In England, you already have no English coach, no English players and maybe now you will have no clubs playing in England. It's a joke."