The planned league fixture between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami in December has been postponed due to what the organisers have called “the current uncertainty in Spain”.
The match had been due to take place at the 65,000-capacity Hard Rock Stadium, in what would have been the first time a European league match had been staged abroad.
UEFA had been clear in its opposition to the fixture, but effectively conceded it had been powerless to stop such occasions due to the lack of a legal framework through which to do so.
But now it has been confirmed that the game will no longer go ahead, with a statement from the game’s promoters, Relevant, reading: “Relevent has informed La Liga of the need to postpone the planned match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona in Miami on December 20.
“Given the current uncertainty in Spain, there is insufficient time to properly execute an event of this scale. It would also be irresponsible to begin selling tickets without a confirmed match in place.”
LaLiga also confirmed the news, saying: “LALIGA announces that, following conversations with the promoter of the Official LALIGA Match in Miami, the decision has been made to cancel the organisation of the event due to the uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks.
“LALIGA deeply regrets that this project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity for the internationalisation of Spanish football, cannot go ahead.
“The staging of an official match outside our borders would have been a decisive step in the global expansion of our competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the positioning of players and the Spanish football brand in a strategic market such as the United States.
“The project fully complied with federation regulations and did not affect the integrity of the competition, as confirmed by the competent institutions that oversee compliance, which opposed it for other reasons.
“In a context of increasing global competitiveness, where leagues such as the Premier League and competitions such as the UEFA Champions League continue to increase their reach and ability to generate resources, initiatives such as this are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish football.
“Passing up such opportunities makes it difficult to generate new revenue, limits clubs’ ability to invest and compete, and reduces the international profile of the entire football ecosystem.”
Milan’s Serie A clash with Como in February 2026 is still scheduled to be played in Perth, Australia in what will now be a history-making contest.
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