La Liga’s ambitious plan to stage a Barcelona vs Villarreal fixture in Miami this December has been officially cancelled due to “uncertainty” surrounding the event in Spain, the Spanish top-flight confirmed on Tuesday.
The highly anticipated match, initially set for December 20 at the Hard Rock Stadium, would have marked the first-ever European league game played outside the continent a move aimed at expanding La Liga’s global reach.
However, organisers decided to pull the plug, citing escalating uncertainty and controversy within Spain over the logistics and implications of holding a domestic fixture abroad.
“La Liga deeply regrets that the project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity to take Spanish football to the international stage, cannot go ahead,” the league said in a statement.
Barcelona and Villarreal React
The fixture will now be played as originally scheduled at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Cerámica.
In a statement, Barcelona said they “respect and accept” the decision but lamented the missed opportunity to connect with international fans.
“We regret the lost opportunity to expand the image of the competition in a strategic market with strong growth potential,” Barca said, adding that their supporters in the United States “will be deprived of witnessing the match live.”
Villarreal coach Marcelino García Toral was visibly upset by the timing of La Liga’s announcement which came during halftime of his team’s 2–0 Champions League defeat to Manchester City.
“It seems an absolute lack of respect to issue such a statement at halftime of a game,” Marcelino said. “It’s disrespectful to the club, the directors, the players, and the fans.”
He added that Villarreal would issue an official statement on Wednesday to clarify their position.
Mounting Opposition from Players and Clubs
The plan to host a Spanish league game in the U.S. faced strong resistance from several quarters. The Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) led protests last weekend, with players from all La Liga teams halting play for 15 seconds at the start of matches in symbolic opposition.
Real Madrid also voiced institutional objections, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saying the move would “adulterate the competition,” while captain Dani Carvajal called it “a stain on La Liga.”
Despite resistance, La Liga President Javier Tebas had persisted with efforts to globalize the competition. The Miami plan had even received UEFA’s exceptional approval, marking the closest La Liga had come to realizing its years-long ambition of hosting a game abroad.
UEFA, while generally opposed to staging domestic matches overseas, had agreed to this fixture alongside a planned Serie A match between AC Milan and Como set for February in Australia as a rare exception.
