Spanish football could be about to live a decisive moment, and FC Barcelona leads the dance.
According to Sport, the Catalan club militates so that its December championship match against Villarreal takes place not in Spain, but under the Florida sun, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. If this match is approved, it would be the first official Liga match ever played outside Spain.
Barcelona militates for a championship duel in Miami
RFEF's decision could reshape Spanish football
The Spanish Royal Football Federation (RFEF) will meet tomorrow to decide whether this ambitious project will be implemented. The proposal, which will be presented on Monday, will request the support of UEFA for the match of December 20, which is currently one of the 17th day of the 2025/26 calendar of the Liga. If the ruling body of European football gives its green light, the file will then be transmitted to FIFA, which holds the ultimate authority to approve or refuse the national matches taking place abroad.
According to the current calendar, Barcelona must face Villarreal at the Ceramica stadium on December 20. The return match at the Spotify Camp Nou is scheduled for March 1, 2026. But the last barça offensive would be to replace the first leg with a show in Miami, home of Lionel Messi. That week, there is no European competition, and if the knockout stages of the King Cup are scheduled for December 16 to 18, the calendar could be reworked in order to give the two teams time to cross the Atlantic and prepare.
The president of La Liga, Javier Tebas, has never hidden his desire to make Spanish football known to an international audience. And it seems that this materializes during the 2025/26 season. According to some information, FIFA has authorized the championships to play an official match per season abroad, which would facilitate the efforts of Tebas even more.
UEFA must first give the green light, guaranteeing the compliance of the match to the European directives in terms of competitions, before FIFA makes its final decision with regard to the liga capacity to innovate. The stakes are high, but internal sources suggest that international leading bodies could be more open than in previous years, especially since other leagues are also considering international expansion.
If Villarreal and Barcelona win Miami, this could be the first sign of a wave of similar initiatives. Other major championships, from Serie A at the Premier League, have considered the idea of organizing competition matches abroad, attracted by new markets, sponsorship opportunities and a global commitment to supporters. For Barcelona, the commercial attraction is obvious. Florida has a large Spanish -speaking population, a base of dynamic football supporters and an ultramodern stadium capable of hosting an elite show.
