LaLiga cancels Barcelona game in Miami after controversy

Backtracking after controversy

League cancels FC Barcelona game in the USA

The scheduling of a league game by FC Barcelona in the USA has sparked discussions. Now the league is backing down.

The planned relocation of an FC Barcelona league game to Miami is off the table. La Liga has withdrawn from hosting the game against Villarreal FC in the USA – after clear criticism from players, fans and institutions.

As the Spanish league association announced on Tuesday evening, the game scheduled for December 20th would not take place in Miami as planned “due to the uncertainty that has arisen in Spain”. In the statement, the league regretted that “this project, which represented a historic and unparalleled opportunity to internationalize Spanish football,” could not be implemented.

According to the league, hosting a championship game abroad would have represented a “decisive step in global expansion.” From the point of view of those responsible, projects of this kind are important in order to “ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish football”. The cancellation would result in the loss of new sources of income, which would limit “the clubs’ ability to invest”.

Barça itself commented diplomatically on the decision: “Barcelona respects and accepts the decision to cancel the game against Villarreal in Miami, just as we respected and accepted the decision to play the game when it was made.”

The project had already caused unrest in advance. UEFA had only approved the application with reservations and “as an exception”. There are also similar plans in Italy: Serie A requested that the game between AC Milan and Como 1907 be played in Perth, Australia on February 8th – due to the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in San Siro two days earlier.