Uefa will decide in September whether to approve a request to stage a La Liga match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami, Florida, in December. The decision is expected at the governing body's executive committee meeting on 11 September in Tirana, Albania.
The proposal, submitted by the Spanish football federation (RFEF), also requires approval from Fifa, US Soccer and Concacaf. Legal barriers have diminished after promoter Relevent Sports reached a settlement with Fifa in April 2024, dismissing a lawsuit challenging the policy of barring league games abroad.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has voiced reservations, stating, "I don't think it's a good thing," but acknowledged limited legal options to block the move. The Italian federation has already approved a match between Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, in February, citing a venue clash with the Winter Olympics.
EU sport commissioner Glenn Micallef strongly criticised the plan, saying on social media, "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. Moving competitions abroad isn't innovation, it's betrayal." Uefa's decision could set a precedent for overseas domestic fixtures.
