Madrid, October 22 (Udaipur Kiran): Spain’s top football league, La Liga, has officially cancelled the regular-season match between Barcelona and Villarreal that was scheduled to take place in Miami, USA, this December.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, La Liga said, “After discussions with the promoter of the official La Liga match in Miami, and considering the uncertainty that has recently arisen in Spain, it has been decided to cancel the event.”
The league added that holding an official match abroad would have been “a significant step toward global expansion,” helping strengthen the international presence of Spanish clubs, increase player visibility, and enhance the global profile of Spanish football.
Promoter Cites Time Constraints
Event promoter Relevant Sports informed La Liga that the match had to be postponed, stating that there wasn’t enough time to properly prepare for an event of such scale. “It would be irresponsible to begin ticket sales without confirmed match details,” the company said in a statement.
Players and Clubs Opposed the Move
The decision follows strong criticism from several players and clubs regarding plans to host a domestic league match outside Spain. Villarreal was set to be the home team, and the match was to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois expressed his disapproval, saying, “Teams should play both home and away games in Spain. It’s already difficult to play away in La Liga, and Villarreal’s home ground is one of the toughest. Every team should have both home and away matches unless there’s a strong reason not to.”
Background and Partnership
La Liga and Relevant Sports have a long-term partnership aimed at expanding Spanish football’s reach in the United States and beyond. Relevant Sports is owned by Stephen Ross, who also owns the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, the Formula One Miami Grand Prix, and the Miami Open tennis tournament.
Plans to host the match in Miami had gained new momentum recently after FIFA withdrew from a legal case filed by Relevant Sports. Soon after, FIFA announced that it would review its regulations and form a working group with UEFA legal experts to examine the issue.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
