Barcelona Vs Villarreal La Liga Match In Miami Canceled, To Be Played At Villarreal Instead

The La Liga match between Barcelona and Villarreal, originally scheduled to take place in Miami on December 20, 2025, has been canceled. This would have been the first regular-season Spanish league game held outside Spain.

The cancellation comes after widespread opposition from clubs, players, and fans. Real Madrid raised concerns with Spain’s Sports Ministry, arguing that moving the match abroad disrupted the traditional home-and-away balance. La Liga players’ union AFE criticized the lack of transparency, and players across the league staged silent protests during other matches.

Event organizer Relevent cited insufficient time to properly organize the game and said it would have been irresponsible to sell tickets without full confirmation. Both Barcelona and Villarreal had supported the Miami plan, offering incentives like discounted season tickets and free travel for fans, but expressed disappointment at the cancellation.

La Liga said the move set back efforts to grow Spanish football’s international presence and revenue streams. The fixture will now be held at Villarreal’s home ground, La Cerámica, on the original date, December 20, 2025.