Explained: Why was the La Liga match, Villarreal vs Barcelona in Miami, canceled?

The La Liga regular season match between Barcelona and Villarreal, scheduled outside Spain in Miami, United States, in December has been cancelled, the Spanish top flight said in a statement.

“…after discussions with the promoter of the official LALIGA competition in Miami, it has been decided to cancel the organization of the event due to the uncertainty that has arisen in Spain in recent weeks,” the league said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Holding an official match outside our borders would have been a decisive step in the global growth of the competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the positioning of players and the visibility of Spanish football in a strategic market like the United States.”

Game promoter Relevant said it informed La Liga of the need to “postpone the scheduled match” because “there is insufficient time to properly execute an event of this magnitude.”

It added that “it would also be irresponsible to start selling tickets without a confirmed match.”

The decision comes amid mounting criticism over the staging of the match outside Spain, from players and clubs outside the two clubs taking part in the competition.

READ ALSO: Barca Miami match ‘rigged’ La Liga: Courtois from Real Madrid

Villarreal was the official host of the match, which was to be played at the Hard Rock Stadium.

“Teams have to play home and away,” Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League match against Juventus.

«It’s not the same to play a team at home and away. It’s difficult to play on the road in the Spanish league. Playing on the road at Villarreal’s pitch is very tough. Every team has to play at home and away unless there is an important reason why that shouldn’t happen.»

La Liga has a long-standing partnership with the sports and entertainment group Relevant Sports – part of Stephen Ross’ portfolio of companies including Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Dolphins, Formula One’s Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open.

Plans for the La Liga match in Miami were renewed after FIFA withdrew from legal action Relevant in a Manhattan court. Weeks later, FIFA said it would review the rules and set up a working group including UEFA lawyers.

Published on October 22, 2025