Uefa will decide in September whether to approve a request by the Spanish football federation for Villarreal and Barcelona to contest a La Liga game in Miami in December. European football's governing body is expected to discuss the matter at its next executive committee meeting in Tirana on 11 September.
If Uefa does not block the move, a landmark event will edge closer to reality. No major league has held a domestic game on foreign territory, despite prolonged attempts from the Spanish top flight. Uefa's signoff would clear a huge section of the path, although the plan also requires approval from Fifa, US Soccer and Concacaf.
There is broad acceptance within Uefa that the proposal will be difficult to reject without altering its statutes. Potential legal arguments against moving matches abroad have lost weight since US-based promoter Relevent Sports agreed a settlement with Fifa in April 2024 to dismiss the global governing body from a lawsuit challenging its policy of barring league games from being staged in other countries.
The proposal, first made by La Liga before being approved and submitted by the Spanish federation, stands a high chance of being accepted. It is unclear whether that would be on a one-time basis or whether the broader principle of taking league games overseas would be agreed. If Uefa decides not to obstruct the move, discussions are likely regarding potential limits, such as allowing two games a season between the same teams to neutralise home or away advantage.
Meetings involving stakeholders have taken place on the sidelines of draws for this season's Uefa club competitions in Monte Carlo. Executives from Relevent Sports, appointed this year as Uefa's worldwide marketing and sales partner for 2027-2033, have been conspicuous throughout the event. Any move to approve the match at the Miami Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium would sit uncomfortably within Uefa's corridors of power. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said: 'I don't think it's a good thing,' but admitted legal recourse was limited.
The Italian football federation has given approval for a match between Milan and Como to take place in Perth, western Australia, in February, citing a venue clash with the Winter Olympic Games. The viability of that fixture will also enter Uefa's thinking. On Wednesday, EU sport commissioner Glenn Micallef strongly criticised the scheme, stating: 'I'm deeply disappointed by proposals to stage domestic league matches outside Europe. This is the first big stress test for governance since the Super League. Strong, community-based clubs are the heart of the European Sport Model. Moving competitions abroad isn't innovation, it's betrayal.'
