European Super League games in U.S. at risk of not happening?

The push for the breakaway soccer league in Europe has hit another snag. ESPN reported plans for Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid to play preseason games in the U.S. are now at risk of not happening.

According to ESPN, all three teams planned to play a series of games in the U.S. this summer as part of the proposed breakaway European Super League, including a big faceoff between Barca and Madrid in Las Vegas. Now, all three sides are reportedly "seeking alternative arrangements" to play in the states.

ESPN first reported back in February that the three teams were trying to arrange the tournament as a way of making up for money lost during the early parts of the pandemic. All three teams made appearances in the states in the mid-2010s, including the first Clasico played outside of Spain in 2017. Barca defeated Madrid in that game 3-2.

The European Super League barely existed for a couple of days before completely collapsing. As the New York Times summarized, rumors initially broke that Europe's richest teams would break away and be part of their own league. Within just a couple of days, politicians weighed in, and soccer fans began protesting in the streets. FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a statement at the time saying players in the breakaway league would be banned from competing in the 2022 World Cup. Top teams like Chelsea then pulled out of the plan to form the Super League just 48 hours after the rumors first broke.