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The Champions League final could be heading for the USA.
Europe's elite competition has long been linked with the idea of taking games across the pond, but that has not yet come to fruition.
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Now though, UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) have entered into an exclusive negotiation period with Relevent Sports that could result in finals being played in the US,.
The American agency have been at the forefront of trying to bring major soccer games stateside, and that could happen if they strike an agreement for global commercial rights to men's club competitions from 2027.
Should the deal be completed, it would also mark the end of UEFA's three-decade-plus association with TEAM Marketing, who were originally responsible for all of the prominent Champions League branding.
"The Board of UC3, the joint venture between UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) has agreed to enter into an exclusive period of negotiation with Relevent Sports over the global commercial rights to the UEFA men's club competitions for the period 2027-2033," a statement released by the ECA said.
“The decision follows an open tender process, launched last summer, which attracted bids from a number of global and regional agencies."
According to The Athletic, the expectation is that a deal will be reached sooner rather than later.
Relevent Sports is a private sports and media rights agency controlled by billionaire Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who has long wanted to meaningful European club games taken place in the United States.
Currently, those types of league matches are blocked by FIFA.
However, last year, the association agreed it might consider changing its policy regarding league matches played in other countries, after an agreement with Relevent to dismiss the promoter's lawsuit challenging that very regulation.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, meanwhile, hinted in April 2023 that Champions League matches in the US could be possible one day.
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He said at the time: "It is possible. We started to discuss about that, but then one year it is the World Cup, 2024 is Euro, this year (the Champions League final) is Istanbul, ’24 in London, ’25 in Munich.
"And after that let’s see. It’s possible, it’s possible.”
With Relevent now on the brink of striking a deal with UEFA, there is a prospect of Champions League games being held in the US by 2033.
Any such move would also mark the start of a huge shift within European football - and one that talkSPORT's Simon Jordan is worried will soon impact the Premier League.
"The Champions League is different to domestic football, which I've always rallied against (playing in the US)," he told Jim White on Thursday's White & Jordan show.
"I don't believe that there's any reason why you couldn't play a competition of sorts between European sides in America.
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"My objection has always been about the domestic need to be the Harlem Globetrotters and take a Premier League game over and play Arsenal vs Tottenham in America.
"Do I think that we will end up with a competitive fixture between European teams in America? Probably.
"Because the reason being is that the other leagues in European football are so far behind the eight ball when it comes to the commercial revenues that the Premier League is producing that they need to find other ways to bring revenue in."
Jordan went on to say that he could see the commercial benefit of playing Champions League games, and even the final, in the US because it is a 'worldwide spectacle.'
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However, he reiterated that it would set a dangerous precedent for the Premier League.
"A domestic fixture list is the cornerstone of European football," Jordan continued.
"I know it's been prejudiced slightly by this Champions League situation because the groups have already decided that actually, a competition can consist of people not playing home and away.
"In domestic football, everything is weighted towards the idea that you play your fixture list, based upon, you play Everton at home you play Everton away. You play Palace at home you play Palace away.
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"It's an absolute fundamental, and then suddenly say we're going to take it over to America.
"The bottom line is, no I don't want it. I don't think it's necessarily the right thing.
"But the fact is, if La Liga and Serie A (play fixtures in the US) they do it because they've hoisted the white flag.
"They cannot keep up with a juggernaut which is the Premier League. so they'll do anything to try and get extra revenues to make sure that they're not laying down, that the Premier League can't roll over European football.
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"Eventually, what will happen is the American owners of English football clubs have to go 'well if these guys are doing it we can't be left behind.'"
Other major leagues, particularly in the US, have also taken their games around the world in a bid to reach new audiences.
The NFL International Series hosts a collection of regular season games played outside the US.
Those have been in place since 2007, and a game in Ireland for 2025 was announced on Super Bowl week, meaning at present six games will take place outside of the United States, with the prospect of Brazil and Mexico taking that number to eight.
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The NBA has also played regular season games outside of the US since 1990, and the MLB have branded their international games as the 'World Tour' since 2023.
