Liam Duckstein
RFEF chief says Miami fixture is ‘good for football’
Rafael Louzan, president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), has defended La Liga’s plan to stage the Villarreal v Barcelona fixture in Miami on 20 December, calling the move “good for football.” The match will be played at Hard Rock Stadium instead of Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica.
The RFEF gave its approval in August. The decision follows a similar choice by the Italian federation, which has authorised a Serie A match between AC Milan and Como to take place in Perth, Australia, in February.
“It’s a reward for those fans who are behind the screen, also in Asia or America, who are paying a fee to watch all the Spanish La Liga matches. It’s a gesture to them,” Louzan said.
Louzan added: “It’s good for football and it promotes the Spanish La Liga around the world. Italy is also going to do it with Serie A in Australia. It’s a good move for the best league in the world to do it.”
Real Madrid voiced strong opposition, warning the consequences would be “so serious” and represent a “before and after” moment for the sport. European football governing body Uefa was in clear opposition but gave reluctant approval on the grounds there was no legal framework to prevent the match taking place abroad.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin described the decision as “regrettable” and said it “shall not be seen as setting a precedent.”
The move to Miami also feeds into a local story. Lionel Messi has made the city his home since joining Inter Miami in 2023, after two seasons at Paris St-Germain. Barcelona president Joan Laporta welcomed the announcement, saying a competitive game in Miami “with a large FC Barcelona following, will definitely be a great show.”
“A competitive game in a city like Miami, with a large FC Barcelona following, will definitely be a great show,” Laporta said.
Barcelona have played four pre-season friendlies in Miami before, most recently in 2022. The decision to stage official league fixtures overseas has split opinion — seen by supporters and federations as both a commercial opportunity and a challenge to tradition.
What happens next
The fixture is due to go ahead on 20 December. Clubs, governing bodies and fans will watch closely to see how a competitive La Liga match plays out on foreign soil and whether other leagues follow the same path.