LaLiga has officially announced that a regular-season match between Villarreal and FC Barcelona will be played in Miami, marking the first time a top-flight Spanish league game will be held outside of Spain. The historic event is scheduled for December 20th at Hard Rock Stadium, a 65,000-capacity venue that is home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins.
The decision to hold the match in the United States is a strategic move by LaLiga to expand its global presence and connect with its international fanbase. LaLiga President Javier Tebas emphasized the significance of the fixture as a major milestone for Spanish football. He stated that it is just one game in the context of the full season. Tebas has been trying to arrange a match in a foreign nation for several years.
Barcelona President Joan Laporta expressed the club's excitement about engaging with its fans in the United States, which he views as a key strategic market. Laporta believes that an official match in Miami, a city with a strong Barça community, will be a great spectacle.
The announcement follows reluctant approval from UEFA earlier in the week. UEFA expressed reservations about relocating domestic league matches abroad, citing potential impacts on fairness, fan interests, and the integrity of the competition. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stated his clear opposition to domestic league matches being played outside their home country. He said that it would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially distort the competition. Despite these concerns, UEFA approved the request on an exceptional basis, as the FIFA regulatory framework was not clear enough to reject the requests.
The decision has faced opposition from various quarters. Spain's players' association (AFE) raised concerns about the potential impact on players' rights and fairness. Eighteen fan groups from both Barcelona and Villareal have expressed complete opposition to the match being played abroad. Real Madrid has also voiced disapproval, arguing that hosting the game in Miami would alter the competitive balance of the league and set an unacceptable precedent.
Villarreal President Fernando Roig acknowledged the concerns of local supporters and assured them that the club is taking steps to compensate season-ticket holders for the relocation. Villarreal season ticket holders will be able to travel for free to the match, and those who choose not to travel to Miami will enjoy a 30 percent discount on their season ticket price.
La Liga views the North American market as strategically important, particularly with the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The league plans to promote the match and Spanish football in the United States in the weeks leading up to the game. Barcelona and Villarreal will each receive between €5 million and €6 million from the game being moved to the USA. Villarreal is likely to earn slightly more to compensate for the lost revenue from ticket sales.
