LaLiga has officially cancelled its controversial plan to hold a regular season match in Miami following widespread protests and criticism. The game, which would have seen FC Barcelona face Villarreal CF on December 20, was intended to be the first LaLiga fixture played outside of Spain.
The decision to scrap the game comes after mounting opposition from various parties, including players, clubs, and fans. The Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) organized protests during the weekend league games, with players standing still for 15 seconds at the start of each match. Real Madrid also voiced strong opposition, filing complaints with Spain's Superior Sports Council (CSD) arguing that playing a LaLiga match in the United States "distorts the competition".
According to LaLiga, the cancellation was prompted by "uncertainty generated in Spain in recent weeks". Relevent Sports, the international soccer promoter organizing the event, informed LaLiga of the need to postpone the match because "there is insufficient time to properly execute an event of this scale". They added that "it would also be irresponsible to begin selling tickets without a confirmed match in place".
LaLiga expressed its disappointment, stating that it "deeply regrets that this project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity for the internationalisation of Spanish football, cannot go ahead". The league argued that holding the match abroad would have been a "decisive step in the global growth of the competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the positioning of players, and the visibility of Spanish soccer in a strategic market such as the United States".
Despite the cancellation, LaLiga maintains that the project "fully complied with all federative regulations and did not affect the integrity of the competition". The league believes that the opposition stemmed from other reasons.
The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some argue that playing a LaLiga match abroad would undermine the fairness of the competition and disrespect the fans. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stated that "It's not the same to play in Miami as it is to play at home". He also criticized LaLiga for not consulting the players or clubs before making the decision.
Others believe that it was a necessary step for LaLiga to grow its international presence and compete with other major European leagues. Mallorca owner Andy Kohlberg said that "Our belief is we'll never be the same as the Premier League, but the gap will start to narrow a little bit".
UEFA had reluctantly approved the plan, along with a Serie A match in Australia in February. However, the final decision ultimately rested with the CSD and Spanish authorities.
The match will now be held at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica as normal. It remains unclear whether LaLiga will attempt to move a different game to Miami in the future.
