La Liga wants to stage FC Barcelona’s December fixture not in Spain, but in Miami. If the plan goes ahead, it would mark the first time any of Europe’s top leagues has played a competitive match outside its home country.

From Estadio de la Cerámica to Hard Rock Stadium

According to multiple sources familiar with the talks, La Liga is holding preliminary negotiations to move the Villarreal vs Barcelona match, originally scheduled for the weekend of December 20–21, from Estadio de la Cerámica to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The Florida venue, renowned for hosting major sporting events, has staged the Copa América 2024 final, the FIFA Club World Cup and will be one of the host stadiums for the 2026 World Cup.

A potential scheduling conflict could arise from the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, set for December 21, which might require rescheduling the league fixture. That week, however, there are no Champions League matches, with only the round of 64 of the Copa del Rey taking place.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak

Previous attempts and a change in the legal environment

La Liga has already tried twice to hold league matches in the US — in 2018 they planned to move the Girona vs Barcelona game, and in 2019 Atlético Madrid vs Villarreal. Both proposals were blocked at the time by FIFA and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

The situation changed after the April settlement between FIFA and American promoter Relevent Sports, founded by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. The company had sued FIFA in 2018 over its directive banning domestic matches from being played outside the federation’s territory, arguing it was an anticompetitive measure.

© Miami Dolphins

Procedure and approvals required

The first step was obtaining permission from the RFEF, which has already been granted. It would then require consent from UEFA, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and CONCACAF, with FIFA having the final say. US Soccer, after its own amicable settlement with Relevent, is not expected to block the initiative.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has long openly advocated holding league matches outside Spain to expand global reach and compete commercially with the Premier League. It would be a great honour, said Barcelona president Joan Laporta when commenting on the possibility of playing in the United States.

Not everyone is enthusiastic. Real Madrid opposes the idea, pointing to a breach of competitive balance by taking away one team’s home advantage. The Spanish players’ union (AFE) and the Spanish Football Supporters and Shareholders Federation (FASFE) have also been critical, accusing the league authorities of robbing Spanish fans.