Madrid, August 12, 2025 — The battle lines are drawn. Real Madrid have come out swinging against LaLiga’s bold move to take the Barcelona vs Villarreal clash across the Atlantic to Miami.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) gave the green light for the December 20 match to be played at Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. If it happens, it would be the first LaLiga game ever held outside Spain — and the first European league match to be played in the U.S.
But the 15-time European champions aren’t having it.
Real Madrid’s Furious Response
In a strongly worded statement, Real Madrid made it clear they want this plan scrapped. The club says:
- They were never consulted before the decision.
- The move breaks the fairness of the home-and-away format.
- Playing in Miami would give Barcelona and Villarreal an unfair edge.
Real Madrid also warned that this could open the door to future decisions that threaten the integrity of Spanish football.
“Any change of this nature should require the express and unanimous agreement of all the clubs,” the statement insisted.
Still a Long Way to Go
Even with RFEF’s approval, the match isn’t locked in. UEFA, US Soccer, CONCACAF, and FIFA all need to sign off before LaLiga president Javier Tebas can make his U.S. dream a reality.
For Tebas, it’s a chance to grow LaLiga’s global reach. For Real Madrid, it’s a dangerous precedent that could change the league forever.
One thing’s for sure — this isn’t the last we’ll hear about the Miami plan.
