Sharjah24: The Spanish La Liga has confirmed that the match between Barcelona and Villarreal will take place in Miami on December 20, marking the first-ever European league match to be held outside its home country.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the league, which stated that the fixture—originally scheduled at Villarreal’s home stadium—will now be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida, USA.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) had recently expressed opposition to holding league matches abroad but has agreed to make an exception, also allowing an Italian Serie A match between AC Milan and Como in Australia this coming February.
“LaLiga President Javier Tebas” described the move as a historic step that will take Spanish football to new horizons. “We understand and respect the concerns about this decision, but it’s important to view it in context—this is just one match out of 380 this season,” he said.
Villarreal will compensate season ticket holders for the venue change, offering free travel to Miami or a 30% discount on next season’s ticket for those who choose not to attend.
Despite these measures, 18 supporter groups from both clubs have expressed strong opposition to holding the match abroad.
LaLiga has sought since 2017 to stage matches overseas, a move resisted by the Spanish Football Federation, although the Spanish Super Cup has already been successfully held in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid has voiced firm objection, warning that playing a league match abroad would distort the competitive balance and set an unacceptable precedent.
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