LaLiga president Javier Tebas has confirmed that the Week 17 fixture between Villarreal and FC Barcelona, scheduled for the weekend of December 20–21, will take place in Miami.

Awaiting final approval

It’s almost finalized — I can say that on Saturday, December 20, an official league match between Villarreal and Barcelona will be played in Miami, Tebas announced during a press conference. It will be a match for points, relocated from the Estadio de la Cerámica to Miami.

The decision comes just days after UEFA gave the green light for the game to be held in the United States. LaLiga must still file an official request with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), which — according to ESPN sources — has already expressed its approval. The final step is confirmation from Concacaf, the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean. FIFA will not intervene in the matter.

Under the original fixture list, Villarreal were to host Barça at home, but the game will now be staged at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Earlier this week, UEFA issued a statement opposing domestic league matches outside national borders, but reluctantly made two exceptions: Villarreal – Barcelona in the U.S. and Milan – Como in Perth, Australia, scheduled for February.

© Villarreal CF | Estadio de la Cerámica (Feudo Amarillo)

First such league game outside Europe

If fully approved, the fixture will become the first official league match from any of Europe’s top five leagues to be played outside the continent. The move follows the example set by the NFL and NBA, which have long taken their games overseas. LaLiga has sought to hold a regular-season match in the U.S. since 2017, but faced repeated opposition from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). That resistance softened earlier this year when the RFEF finally granted conditional approval. Meanwhile, the Spanish Players’ Association (AFE) announced it will meet with representatives from LaLiga, Barcelona, and Villarreal to discuss the plan.

Playing an official league match outside Spain involves changes both in sporting terms and in players’ professional rights, AFE said in a statement. We believe this initiative must be based on full dialogue and agreement among all parties — especially the players themselves.

Hard Rock Stadium has already opened pre-registration for ticket sales to the Villarreal – Barcelona match. Presale begins on October 21, with general sale starting the following day.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak | Hard Rock Stadium (Dolphins Stadium)

Frenkie de Jong against, Laporta in favour

Although the decision to hold the Villarreal–Barcelona match in Miami has already been tentatively approved by all major institutions, it hasn’t come without controversy. In recent days, Frenkie de Jong openly criticized the idea of moving LaLiga matches outside Spain.

I can understand the clubs; they’ll profit from it. But I wouldn’t have decided it myself. I don’t agree with it either. It’s also unfair, competitively speaking, said the Barcelona midfielder. He added that, in practice, the team loses the advantage of playing at home, having to face an away match on a neutral venue, and that players are never consulted on such decisions.

Critical voices have also emerged from within Spanish football. According to a column cited by Inside World Football, many players and officials believe that the idea of taking LaLiga matches abroad is part of a broader sportswashing strategy — another step toward the commercialization of the league at the expense of local fans.

Meanwhile, LaLiga president Javier Tebas has defended the move, describing it as a historic moment for Spanish football. He claims that staging matches in the United States will help promote the league and open new sources of revenue. Barcelona president Joan Laporta also spoke enthusiastically, calling it a great opportunity to reach thousands of fans in America who don’t usually have the chance to see the team live.