- UEFA to decide in September if La Liga can be played in Miami
- Real Madrid and European fan groups oppose the scheme
- Match would be first-ever La Liga game held abroad if approved
UEFA will make its decision on La Liga’s controversial plan to stage a competitive match in Miami next month. According to a report from Spanish outlet AS the governing body’s executive committee is scheduled to meet in Tirana, Albania, where it will rule on whether the proposed Villarreal vs Barcelona fixture can be held at the Hard Rock Stadium on December 20.
UEFA has raised concerns that staging league matches abroad undermines the integrity of domestic competitions. The European football body has also faced backlash from Football Supporters Europe, which strongly opposes taking league games outside Europe. Within Spain, Real Madrid have lodged a formal complaint against the plan, directly referencing the Villarreal–Barcelona fixture in their statement.
Meanwhile, Italy‘s Serie A is considering a similar move with Milan vs Como set to be played in Perth, Australia, in February. Unlike in Spain, that proposal has unanimous support from Italian clubs, partly because San Siro will be unavailable that weekend due to the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
If approved, Villarreal-Barcelona in Miami would be the first-ever official La Liga fixture played outside Spain. The match could set a precedent, with UEFA preparing to establish regulations on how often and under what conditions domestic league games may be staged abroad.
The decision on September 11 is the critical next step. If UEFA’s committee, led by president Aleksander Ceferin, gives the green light, the proposal will then be passed to FIFA for final approval. A rejection from UEFA would effectively kill the plan. The ruling is expected to be a landmark one, as UEFA’s legal team is reportedly working to establish a clear regulatory framework for when and how many domestic fixtures can be played outside of a league’s home territory in the future.
