La Liga has dropped plans to host next month’s fixture between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in the United States, although the Spanish top flight still intends to host domestic games abroad in future.
Miami had been earmarked as the venue for the match, a home fixture for Barcelona, on 22 December in a move that would have sparked significant controversy. No major European league has staged a competitive game in the US although the idea has become normalised in some circles as clubs chase revenue from their vast global fanbases.
Now La Liga, which would have needed permission from Fifa, Uefa and the Spanish Football Association to make the switch, has accepted December will be too soon to break the mould by holding such a big-ticket encounter almost 4,500 miles away. The Guardian understands it remains keen to spread its wings abroad, with a fresh attempt likely next season.
The La Liga president, Javier Tebas, has long spoken of his wish to stage some league games overseas, saying in April that it “could happen in the 2025-26 season”. The North American market is fertile ground for Spain’s top clubs but the Premier League, in particular, presents intense competition.
Six months ago Fifa began a review of its policy around playing regular-season league games in overseas territories, having reached a settlement with the US-based event promoter Relevent Sports in an antitrust lawsuit brought by the company. That case came on the back of Fifa blocking an attempt by La Liga and Relevent to hold a match between Girona and Barcelona in Miami six years ago.
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Any change to Fifa’s rules would open the door wide for La Liga, or any other league, to break with decades of tradition and stage domestic games abroad. Premier League clubs are also thought to be watching developments closely, although the English top division has maintained there are no current plans to decamp.