Less than two weeks after LaLiga revealed it would host its inaugural regular-season match outside of Spain—featuring defending champions Barcelona facing off against Villarreal at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on December 20—it was announced on Tuesday that the match has been canceled.
This cancellation marks another disappointing chapter in LaLiga’s ongoing attempts to hold competitive matches abroad, and it undoubtedly stands out as the most significant setback to date.
While Europe’s top clubs have routinely participated in preseason matches and annual Super Cups internationally, none have managed to follow the example set by American sports leagues like the NFL and NBA by holding regular-season games outside their home countries.
The planned game between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami represented a significant leap for European leagues seeking to extend their global footprint. However, the match’s cancellation raises questions about future efforts. ESPN’s Alex Kirkland, Sam Marsden, and Lizzy Becherano break down the events surrounding the cancellation and discuss what lies ahead.
– Real Madrid vs. Barcelona: Stream El ClásicoLIVE 10/26 on ESPN+ (U.S.)
– How Manchester United’s Rashford revitalized his career at Barcelona
– Vini Jr.’s unexpected spot on the Madrid bench: An analysis
LaLiga confirmed on October 8 that the Miami match would happen. What efforts were invested to reach that announcement?
LaLiga initially expressed interest in hosting a regular-season game in the U.S. back in 2018 when it partnered with Relevent for a 15-year initiative to expand the league’s presence in North America. The first attempt fell through with a proposed match between Girona and Barcelona in January 2019. Since then, LaLiga has made several attempts—including a match between Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in February 2020, and another involving Barça against Atlético in December 2024—but none have come as close as this.
Previous obstacles included opposition from FIFA, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), and U.S. Soccer. However, a breakthrough came in 2024 after Relevent’s legal victories over FIFA and U.S. Soccer and a leadership change at the RFEF improved relations with LaLiga, paving the way for potential approval.
In August, the RFEF agreed to submit the Miami match request to UEFA, which “reluctantly” approved it on October 6, citing underlying issues with FIFA regulations. Reports indicated that U.S. Soccer had given its backing for the event in the U.S., and Concacaf was still considering the RFEF’s request as of Tuesday. Despite this, LaLiga had already announced the game, faced with widespread resistance and vague responses from Spain’s sports ministry (CSD).
And now, just two weeks later, the match is canceled. What led to this change?
The opposition to this initiative has intensified, becoming more organized and vocal in recent weeks. Real Madrid’s position was clear—they had stated in August their intent to block the plans by appealing to FIFA, UEFA, and the CSD—as they consistently express their discontent with LaLiga on various issues. Recently, Madrid’s coach Xabi Alonso and senior players like Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois also voiced their objections. Even players like Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong and coach Hansi Flick indicated their opposition to the initiative.
Last weekend’s league-wide protest, organized by club captains and the players’ union AFE, garnered significant attention, particularly as LaLiga attempted to downplay it during international broadcasts. While the organizers may have hoped to disregard these dissenting voices, the persistent “uncertainty” claimed by LaLiga and Relevent regarding the match’s feasibility became another liability. Additionally, the prospect of legal action from Real Madrid compounded the matter, as did the lack of a clear statement from the CSD, which could easily sway under political pressures.
There were also some minor issues that LaLiga sources downplayed to ESPN, which nonetheless contributed to the overall uncertainty. After receiving the application to host the match, Concacaf consulted with key regional and global stakeholders. During this review, Concacaf posed several questions to the RFEF, leading to strong opposition regarding various topics, including a FIFA rule related to match officiating, as per ESPN sources.
FIFA regulations emphasize that “the host Confederation and FIFA may replace the proposed appointed referees at its sole discretion.” Concacaf wanted to ensure that officiating would be managed by its own confederation, but the RFEF did not agree. As this tension persisted, Concacaf had yet to either approve or deny the hosting request.
Additionally, scheduling conflicts at Hard Rock Stadium exacerbated the situation. The Miami Dolphins are set to play an NFL game on December 21, and the University of Miami may also have a game on December 20 related to the College Football Playoff. While stadium representatives were confident that the venue could accommodate multiple events, the packed calendar raised doubts.
With just two months until the planned game, the situation was still unclear. LaLiga stated on Tuesday that there was insufficient time to execute an event of this scale—leading to the cancellation, as it was deemed unwise to sell tickets without resolving crucial questions that could threaten the event’s viability later.
Was there any support for this game beyond the organizers and involved clubs?
This is a pertinent question. While LaLiga, Relevent, and the participating clubs were in favor, there was a lack of broad public support. UEFA voiced its opposition to domestic games being played internationally, although it ultimately indicated its hands were tied until regulatory changes could be made. After UEFA’s reluctant approval of the Miami match, a source revealed that FIFA would not intervene to overturn this decision, suggesting it fell to UEFA alone. U.S. Soccer had reportedly approved the match, while Concacaf had yet to make a determination.
Despite this, there was weak overall opposition to holding the game outside Spain. Even statements from the players’ union, AFE, emphasized a desire for more transparency rather than outright opposition. They sought assurances regarding the players’ working conditions in the event of the match.
“We were neither for nor against the game being played [in Miami],” Atletico Madrid’s Koke stated on Tuesday. “We just want transparency.” The AFE president, David Aganzo, had suggested approaching politicians and the CSD for clarity, but the prevailing sentiment was that he had not pursued the matter aggressively.
Who emerged as the biggest winners and losers from this episode?
Real Madrid has emerged as a substantial victor, feeling their efforts to block the event vindicated, marking a significant victory in the ongoing power struggles with LaLiga President Javier Tebas. This outcome also resonates with many players, fans, and analysts who were concerned about the fairness of taking a match abroad and its impact on local supporters.
On the flip side, LaLiga and its president, Tebas, have faced a significant blow to their credibility following this latest cancellation. Villarreal also finds themselves at a loss, as they took an ambitious step—risking fan dissatisfaction—to support the venture and garnered nothing in return. Frustrations are high regarding how the situation has been managed. For Barcelona, this missed opportunity means a loss of potential revenue that club president Joan Laporta indicated was intended to offset financial losses incurred due to games played at the smaller Estadi Johan Cruyff during Camp Nou renovations.
Fan responses may vary based on their location. Barcelona expressed deep regret that U.S.-based supporters would miss out on attending an official game in their country. Conversely, Villarreal supporters—especially season ticket holders—may feel relief as they can now attend one of their biggest home games of the season at Estadio de la Cerámica rather than in Miami. Plans had been in place for those traveling to Miami, with compensations arranged for others, but the overriding sentiment may lean towards relief that they can witness their team against the Spanish champions in their home stadium.
Is this the conclusion of the matter? What steps must be taken for such a game to happen in the future?
Considering the current developments, it appears unlikely that LaLiga’s quest to host games abroad is at an end. Tebas has frequently referred to this undertaking as a long-term initiative. Despite the four failures thus far, he expressed frustration at this recent setback on social media, subtly referring to Real Madrid and the AFE as influential critics of the plans.
In a social media post, Tebas remarked, without directly citing Madrid: “The argument about the ‘integrity of the competition’ is raised by those who have been questioning that same integrity for years, using political and media pressure as tools against sport.” His statement suggested that others were using old debates as excuses to thwart this initiative. He concluded with intent, stating, “We will continue to pursue this,” mentioning that they were close this time.
Relevent’s announcement indicates that the unresolved tensions in Spain, combined with time constraints for better organization, impeded progress. Inevitably, these hurdles can be addressed moving forward with improved planning.
However, previous encounters have left a bitter taste, particularly for Villarreal, who voiced concerns about the handling of this initiative. Coach Marcelino García Toral deemed the timing of the cancellation notice disrespectful, given that it coincided with a significant match in their schedule against Manchester City on the same day. Club sources lamented their consistent lack of clarity throughout the process.
This raises the question: would Villarreal be open to pursuing another game in the U.S.? How might other clubs respond if approached by LaLiga in the future? Confusion dominated discussions when Laporta implied Barcelona would gain revenue from the Miami game, contrary to Villarreal’s president’s assertions, leaving potential participants with numerous questions about their involvement moving forward.
Moreover, the cancellation of the LaLiga game does not signify the end of international fixtures; Italy’s Serie A is planning to stage a match in February between AC Milan and Como in Perth, Australia.
A FIFA working group is also expected to outline recommendations for changing international match governance in the coming months. This group includes representatives from member associations, confederations, European Football Clubs (EFC), and the global players’ union FIFPRO among others. LaLiga will closely monitor any emerging regulations that could influence their aspirations for future international matches.