RFEF Approves Historic Plans for 2025–26 La Liga Match in United States

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) took the first step in bringing Barcelona’s December clash with Villarreal to the United States.

The RFEF Board of Directors approved the plans to host the La Liga fixture at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday, Dec. 20. The Spanish FA will now pass the request on to UEFA and subsequently FIFA with the hopes of receiving the necessary authorization to officially relocate the match.

“After receiving and checking the documentation received, and after the approval of the Board of Directors, the Royal Spanish Football Federation will submit to UEFA the request to begin the procedures for the subsequent authorization by FIFA for the match to be played at the ‘Hard Rock Stadium’ in Miami (United States, USSF, CONCACAF), on December 20, 2025,” the RFEF announced.

Should Barcelona and Villarreal’s request coincide with the FIFA International Match Regulations and the “implementing rules approved by the RFEF,” it will be the first time a European top-flight league fixture will unfold on U.S. soil.

Talks of a staging a La Liga match in Miami have existed since 2018, but the RFEF and FIFA opposed plans to bring Girona vs. Barcelona to the United States that year. They also did not approve of a request to relocate Atlético Madrid vs. Villarreal in 2019.

There were even rumors of the Spanish league bringing Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid to Miami last season, but the plans never materialized.

FIFA is no longer expected to oppose staging a La Liga match to the United States after facing a lawsuit from Relevant Sports Group, who argued world football’s governing body acted as a monopoly and prevented fair competition.

The two parties reached an agreement, though, and the lawsuit was dismissed, paving the way for Barcelona and Villarreal’s request to play at Hard Rock Stadium in December.

La Liga president Javier Tebas spoke with ESPN last month about his renewed support of bringing a Spanish league match to the United States.

“We’re working and hoping that happens,” Tebas said. “Our goal is to do what we’re doing. A new leader has arrived at the Association, with a much larger sale, and there’s been a legal dispute with FIFA in the United States, which is facilitating the authorizations to host matches.

“We hope sooner rather than later, and if possible, this [upcoming] season.”

The date of Barcelona’s clash with Villarreal could be subject to change, though, if the plans get the green light to accommodate the Miami Dolphins; the NFL team is scheduled to host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Dec. 21.