UEFA Approves La Liga’s Plan for Villarreal vs Barcelona to Be Played in Miami

UEFA Approves La Liga’s Plan for Villarreal vs Barcelona to Be Played in Miami

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has said the “regrettable decision” to allow two European League matches to be played in foreign continents is “exceptional” and will “not set a precedent.”

La Liga sides Barcelona and Villarael are set for a match in Miami this December—just four days before Christmas. This will be the first-ever European league match being played on foreign soil.

49 days later, AC Milan and Como will follow suit, as they play their league match in Perth, Australia.

UEFA have strongly opposed this, with Cerefin stating that, “League matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions."

We are opposed to domestic league matches being played abroad.

Two requests have been approved on an exceptional basis due to regulatory gaps at global level.

We are committed to anchoring the integrity of domestic competitions and fans’ perspectives in forthcoming FIFA rules.

— UEFA (@UEFA) October 6, 2025

Despite this being the first time a match of this nature will be played, Barcelona have been pushing the idea of a match played on foreign soil for several years now.

In 2019, Barcelona planned a match against Girona in Miami, but it was shut down by Spain's football association and its players' union.

Last year, La Liga said that it wanted to hold a match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, once again in Miami, before the idea was dropped due to time constraints.

This Has Been Coming

There is no doubt that a European league match being played on foreign soil has been coming for a long time now.

The simple fact is, football is a business, and businesses value money above all.

↔️ The new westernmost and easternmost points for a match in a top-flight UEFA league to take place:

⬅️ Westernmost 🇺🇸 Miami, Barcelona vs. Villarreal, 🇪🇸 La Liga, December 2025

➡️ Easternmost 🇦🇺 Perth, Milan vs. Como, 🇮🇹 Serie A, February 2026 pic.twitter.com/pP7wP3q9TT

— The Sweeper (@SweeperPod) October 7, 2025

In the situation we have here, the four teams in question blatantly care more about financial gains rather than the wants of their fans.

When you look back at key moments in history, it’s often difficult to pinpoint the exact moment that made them possible.

For football, the key moment may be easy to identify.

6th October, 2025. When UEFA allowed league football to be played on foreign soil.

UEFA claims that this is an “exceptional” circumstance, but that is a slippery slope to stand on.

What happens if Real Madrid then decides they want to play a match in a foreign nation? Their rivals did, so why do they not get fair treatment?

And then Manchester United might see this, and their owners, the Glazers, might decide they want to fill their pockets more and declare they would like to play matches abroad.

Suppose these two matches in December and February turn out to be a financial success, and UEFA and FIFA are unable to stop matches from being moved. In that case, English clubs will likely be looking to do the exact same thing and expand their global reach.

Mes Que Un Club: Until the Money Talks

The motto Mes Que Un Club has always stuck with me. I still remember hearing it for the first time in 2011 when my side—Manchester United—faced Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League final.

“More than a club.” I did not truly understand it, but my dad explained to me that Barcelona were a fan-owned club. This seemed like the dream scenario for a young version of myself, seeing as even at the age of seven, I understood that our owners were terrible.

'Mes que un club' signifys that Barcelona is not just another sports team, but an institution that represents fans values, beliefs, and the history of Catalonia.

But now looking at those words, it brings a feeling of almost disgust. Whilst I have never liked Barcelona—I hold grudges easily—that does not take away the admiration I once felt for them.

I spoke with Adria Medina Alegre, a 22-year-old who was born and raised in Barcelona.

When I asked him about his thoughts on the match between his club and Villarreal being played in a foreign country, he said, “All league games must be played in Spain. That is why it is called the Spanish league, right?”

His frustrations mirror many in Barcelona and across the world. This match may be between two Spanish sides, but if you go on social media, you will see fans of many teams across the globe stating how wrong this is.

For these fans, league football belongs to those in the stands, week in, week out. Not for executives who arrive in pristine suits and shiny new cars.

Alegre also commented on how unfair the whole situation is. “For season ticket holders of either club, they are paying for a match that they will not see unless they decide to spend a lot of money (to travel to Miami).”

Looking at travel from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona airport to Miami International, the cheapest return flights to get you to see the game are £667 (€766/£894). This is before you even think about hotel prices—an incomprehensible expense for the average fan.

On the topic of money, Alegre believes that the Royal Spanish Football Federation and Javier Tebas, the President of La Liga, are “desperate for money” and points to the Supercopa de España being moved to Saudi Arabia. A deal mired in allegations of corruption.

Alegre also spared a thought for Villarreal fans, stating they have every right to be “really angry,” with the match being played thousands of kilometres away, “played in front of zero genuine Villarreal fans.”

Alegre ended our conversation with a pointed remark—his harshest yet toward LaLiga, Barcelona, and Javier Tebas.

“Fans aren’t going to matches because ticket prices are too high. Half of Barcelona’s games are filled with tourists, which makes the atmosphere tame and flat. Most fans watch football illegally because it’s absurdly expensive in Spain.

“LaLiga is desperate for money, and they don’t know how to find it without looking beyond Spain.”