Browsing: Miami

Villarreal’s LaLiga game against Barcelona on Dec. 20 in Miami, and AC Milan’s Serie A clash with Como in Perth, Australia, in February will make history. For the first time, regular-season games will be played on foreign soil, and it marks the culmination of a long political and legal struggle.

It’s a path that major U.S. sports have trod in the opposite direction for years now — the NFL, NBA and MLB have all played regular-season games overseas — and some see it as a shortcut to globalizing their league and marketing their product around the world. It’s also a contentious issue, one that was vehemently opposed by governing bodies from national associations to confederations right up to FIFA.

That began to change a after a long-running antitrust lawsuit brought by Relevent, a marketing and event promotion company founded by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, was settled with FIFA and, later, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). The settlement effectively opens the door to sports leagues wishing to play abroad. One of the last hurdles to fall was UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, where opposition is most strident.

So what’s the big deal? Other sports, such as the NFL, play regular-season games abroad …

This is different. When the NFL goes to São Paulo or Dublin or London, it’s not pushing its product on somebody else’s turf, for starters. Whatever organized football exists in those territories is light years away from what the NFL offers.

That’s not the case here. MLS and Australia’s A-League might not be on par with LaLiga or Serie A, but they are fully fledged, professional competitions. And unlike the NFL, there’s a single, pyramid-based ecosystem, governed by FIFA at the top. That’s why there were so many entities that have to sign off on this.

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The national associations (Spain’s RFEF and the USSF, in one case, Football Australia and Italy’s FIGC in the other), the regional confederations (UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation) and, of course, FIFA. Though, really, it was UEFA who, potentially, posed the biggest hurdle.

Why is that?

Well, the FAs of Spain and Italy were unlikely to object given it was their own national leagues that were wanting to play abroad. FIFA and the USSF — both of whom had strongly opposed anything other than exhibition matches being played in the U.S. — settled long-running antitrust lawsuits in 2024 and 2025 brought by event promoter Relevent Sports, who had tried to stage regular-season matches in the U.S. for years. That settlement effectively made it very difficult for them to object.

That left UEFA, who “reluctantly” greenlit the games on Monday, specifying that it was on an “exceptional basis”: A one-off that, in no way, should be seen as a precedent.

‘Reluctantly’? ‘Exceptional basis’? The UEFA makes it sound as if its arm was being twisted …

I don’t think the UEFA could have been any clearer. Its news release was titled “UEFA confirms its opposition to domestic league matches played abroad.” UEFA president Aleksander ÄŒeferin said that “league matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions.”

So why did the UEFA approve it?

Because it said the current “regulatory framework” — which FIFA was supposed to put together — isn’t “clear and detailed enough,” and so the UEFA had no choice. Essentially, there was the risk of more legal action.

Some might say the UEFA is passing the buck. FIFA isn’t giving it clear rules, so it has to approve this, however reluctantly, and as ÄŒeferin underscored, the UEFA approved it on a one-off basis, without it representing any kind of precedent. That said, some folks are cynical about this.

Barcelona are set to take on Villarreal at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in LaLiga play on Dec. 20. Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

How so?

Well, LaLiga boss Javier Tebas and Barcelona were the ones driving the Miami game and both are influential, especially in the context of the European game. UEFA are a governing body, but it’s also business partners with the European Football Clubs (EFC, the body that represents more than 800 of the continent’s clubs) in marketing and selling their tournaments, including their crown jewel, the men’s Champions League. And it just so happened that on Wednesday they jointly announced a new tender for broadcasting rights to their club competitions, with the goal of raising nearly half a billion dollars more per season.

Guess who’s going to sell those rights. Relevent, the folks who brought the original lawsuit.

They became UEFA’s commercial and marketing partners last March. They are responsible for monetizing the Champions League on behalf of UEFA and the EFC form 2027. So if you’re really cynical, you might connect all those dots. UEFA know there’s a ton of opposition to this, but a number of their business partners are either in favor of it or don’t really care. Throw in the fact that they could face a legal challenge and, in any case, FIFA haven’t yet provided them with a set of rules to follow and I guess they figured it wasn’t a hill worth dying on.

Why was there so much opposition to this? Real Madrid were among the first to complain …

… and they have a legitimate case. They’re Barcelona’s direct competitor in LaLiga year after year, and moving the game to Miami means one of Barça’s toughest away trips — against Villarreal — will instead be played in Lionel Messi‘s backyard. I think it’s a safe bet that the crowd will be overwhelmingly pro-Barça, so you can see why Madrid aren’t thrilled: A tricky away game becomes a de facto home match.

Moving Milan vs. Como to Australia is less contentious from a competitive perspective. Milan can’t play at San Siro due to the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and they can’t move the fixture either because they share the ground with Inter Milan, who have a packed schedule.

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Milan draw more than 70,000 fans per game and have more than 40,000 season ticket holders. The only other stadium in Italy that could accommodate that would be the Olympic Stadium in Rome, but they can’t play there either because AS Roma and Lazio share it, and there are no free dates. So really, they would have to go abroad anyway. Why not Australia?

That said, many fans and players are unhappy. Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong said he “totally” understood why other clubs are unhappy that their away game becomes a match played on neutral ground, and he said the travel was going to be tough on the players. Milan’s Adrien Rabiot was even more direct, calling it “absurd” and how the decision was made over the player’s heads.

Politicians got involved, too. Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner whose portfolio includes sports and culture, called it a “betrayal” of “local communities and fans.” He said “to our citizens, it is more than just a competition, it’s about community, friendship, family.”

He’s laying it on a bit thick, isn’t he?

Yes and no. When the Premier League floated the idea of a “39th game” — with each club playing an extra match abroad — back in 2008, there was widespread opposition. So much so that in August, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said there were no plans to even consider it and that, in any case, his league didn’t need more publicity.

Throw in the legitimate complaints about distortion of the competition and player workload — players’ union FIFAPro weighed in on this recently, too — and folks are wondering whether it’s worth it.

So what’s in it for Barcelona and LaLiga?

Barcelona and Villarreal are reportedly splitting around $12 million, with Milan and Como clocking in at around $10 million. When you consider Barça estimate their revenue will comfortably pass the billion-dollar mark this season, we’re talking, what, just over half a percent? It’s more about raising the profile, gaining fans and possibly sponsors, though even that feels a bit dubious.

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How will fans react to LaLiga’s first ever fixture abroad?

Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop discuss the announcement of Villarreal vs. Barcelona being played in Miami.

I mean, Barcelona and Milan are two legitimate heavyweight brands with supporters all over the world; I’m skeptical about how many non-fans they’re actually going to convert. People with even just a passing interest in the sport know who they are. And are Villarreal going to suddenly gain fans in Miami (or Como in Perth)? Even if they do, how are they going to monetize them?

It feels as if they’re trying to ape what the NFL did, with some success, when they started taking regular-season games abroad two decades ago. But again, that was different.

When the NFL started taking games to Europe, there was a whole promotional apparatus, with clinics and events to promote the league. And crucially, NFL fans from all over the continent would show up at stadiums such as Wembley, often wearing their team’s jersey even if their favorite team wasn’t playing. I somehow don’t think we’ll see too many Miami-based Real Madrid fans showing up.

Times have changed. Barça fans in the U.S. can already watch every minute of every game, and they can usually catch them in person in preseason. Casual fans will get their fill of Lamine Yamal & Co. next summer at the FIFA World Cup.

I’m not sure how much this moves the needle, or how much the sport actually needs this.

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UEFA has reluctantly approved a proposal to stage a LaLiga game between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami, the governing body said on Monday.

It said it was in “clear opposition” to the idea of playing domestic league games outside of their native countries but added that it had approved two requests — one from LaLiga, and another from Serie A involving AC Milan and Como — citing FIFA’s vague framework.

UEFA had previously been delaying its decision on whether a Villarreal-Barcelona clash could be held at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on the weekend starting on Dec. 20, while Milan and Como had a similar plan to face each other in Perth, Australia, in February.

The final decision on staging these matches will now pass to FIFA, which is still in the process of finishing new regulations.

The decision comes amid fierce opposition from fan groups across Europe.

“UEFA has today reiterated its clear opposition to domestic league matches being played outside their home country,” it said.

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“After the meeting of its Executive Committee in Tirana[, Albania,] last month, UEFA undertook further consultations with stakeholders… That consultation confirmed the widespread lack of support that had already been raised by fans, other leagues, clubs, players and European institutions around the concept of domestic league matches being relocated abroad.

“However, given that the relevant FIFA regulatory framework — currently under review — is not clear and detailed enough, the UEFA Executive Committee has reluctantly taken the decision to approve, on an exceptional basis, the two requests referred to it.

“UEFA will actively contribute to the ongoing work led by FIFA to ensure that future rules uphold the integrity of domestic competitions and the close bond between clubs, their supporters and local communities.”

The decision will be seen as a major win for LaLiga, which has been trying to relocate a game to the United States since 2017.

After the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) backed the proposals earlier this year, UEFA’s go-ahead, however reluctant, is seen as a significant step forward.

A league source told ESPN “Concacaf and the United States Soccer Federation will now be notified,” explaining that this is the next step to complete the process, but with the expectation that neither will raise any objections.

It will then come down to FIFA. ESPN has reached out to the governing body for comment but has not yet received a response.

There remains significant opposition within Spain, from the Players’ Association (AFE), supporters’ groups and LaLiga clubs, with Real Madrid saying it “distorts” the competition.

While none of them is able to halt the process of the game being taken to the U.S. immediately, they could escalate the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

There’s also a potential fixture clash to be resolved. Villarreal-Barcelona is scheduled for the weekend of Dec. 20-21.

On Sunday, Dec. 21, the Miami Dolphins are due to play Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium in the NFL. The game is currently set for the lucrative “Sunday Night Football” slot.

Reconfiguring the stadium from hosting soccer one day to American football the next, or vice versa, would be challenging, although sources have told ESPN it would be possible.

Information from ESPN’s Sam Marsden, The Associated Press and PA contributed to this report.

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No. 3 Miami took down No. 18 Florida State by the final score of 28-22 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, as the Hurricanes were fueled by a strong performance from Carson Beck.

Beck was efficient both in and out of the pocket, finishing 20-of-27 for 240 yards and four touchdowns without committing a turnover.

Fans called for the senior quarterback to earn more Heisman Trophy consideration.

Miami’s defense was also stout throughout the contest, holding Florida State to just three points through three quarters.

The Hurricanes’ offense found the end zone twice in the first half, highlighted by a 44-yard flea flicker touchdown pass from Beck to Malachi Toney early in the second quarter.

Head coach Mario Cristobal’s team eventually put the game away with a 14-point third quarter, giving Miami a 28-3 lead that was too much for Florida State to overcome.

Toney was Beck’s top target throughout the game, as the true freshman hauled in a season-high seven receptions for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior wideout CJ Daniels also caught five passes for 78 yards and a pair of scores for the Hurricanes.

Meanwhile, Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos couldn’t find any type of rhythm against Miami’s secondary. Castellanos finished 25-of-45 for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but was picked off twice.

The Seminoles also struggled to get their rushing attack going, averaging 3.5 yards per carry despite picking up 132 yards on the ground at a team.

Miami improved to 5-0 for the second year in a row, while Florida State fell to 3-2.

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Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov is currently in the recovery phase after having major knee surgery.

It was five days ago that Barkov went under the knife to repair a torn ACL and MCL on his right knee, an injury he suffered the day before during a training camp practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.

According to the Panthers, Barkov is expected to miss anywhere from seven to nine months due to the surgery.

On Wednesday, with the NBAâ€s Miami Heat were taking part in their own training camp practice on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

Barkov, who apparently felt that five days post-surgery was more than enough time to wait, was seen using crutches on the court of FAUâ€s Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena while paying a visit to the Heat players and coaches.

Over the years, Barkov has been spotted at plenty of Heat games and he hasnâ€t been shy about saying heâ€s a big fan of local basketball squad.

The feeling is apparently mutual.

Just ask Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, who has gotten to know Barkov a bit over the past couple decades.

“Heâ€s so inspiring,†said Spoelstra. “I love for all the guys to see him over there. Itâ€s been an electrifying run that theyâ€ve had the last three seasons, and heâ€s a major part of it. Yes, he has the talent, but when you start diving into what everybody says about his character, his leadership, his mentorship, about all the right things. He moves a locker room because of what heâ€s about. Thatâ€s real talent.â€

As Barkov stood on the sideline, watching practice while leaning on his crutches, several Heat players, coaches and executives, including Alonzo Mourning, came over to say hello and wish him their best.

To his credit, and to the surprise of no one who knows him, Barkov was all smiles, full of positivity.

“It is heartbreaking to see him on crutches, but then you talk to him and heâ€s saying, ‘Oh, no worries. Iâ€ll be back in five or six months,â€â€ Spoelstra said, adding that while he loves Barkovâ€s spirit regarding his recovery, he joked that the Panthers†medical staff would probably not want Barkov giving out timeline estimates just yet.

“I love that guy,†said Spo. “I love everything heâ€s about.â€

Barkovâ€s Panthers will play their final two preseason games against the Tampa Bay Lightning – Thursday in Tampa and Saturday in Sunrise – before hosting the Chicago Blackhawks for Opening Night on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena.

As for the Heat, their preseason slate begins on Saturday when they meet the Orlando Magic in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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Photo caption: Jun 22, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) speaks to the fans during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Lionel Messi and Inter Miami suffered a blow in their hopes of winning back-to-back Supporters’ Shields after a 1-1 draw at Toronto FC on Saturday.

Miami (16-6-8), which clinched a playoff spot midweek, came into the game 28 points above Toronto in the Eastern Conference. But Djordje Mihailovic scored in the 60th minute for his first goal for Toronto to give the Canadian club its seventh straight draw after Tadeo Allende scored in first-half stoppage time for Miami.

Messi had scored five of Miami’s 10 goals in its three previous wins but he was frustrated at BMO Field as he failed to find the net, despite having six shots, four of them on target.

The result means that Miami’s Supporters’ Shield fate is no longer in its own hands as it chases down the Philadelphia Union with four games remaining.

“I think we deserved to win,” Miami head coach Javier Mascherano told a news conference. “We had the most clear chances during the game.

“Maybe we had 10, 15 minutes in the second half where we were a little bit confused. But in the end, we had the game under control, keeping the ball, attacking. I think their goalkeeper [Sean Johnson] was the man of the match.

“So it’s hard because we came here to win because we wanted to go up in the standings, but we have to move forward. We have four more games, so we try to win all the games and try to finish as high as possible.”

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were left frustrated in a 1-1 draw at Toronto FC on Saturday.

Michael Chisholm/Getty Images

Toronto (5-13-13) has conceded just six goals during its seven consecutive draws but it is now winless in its last nine games at 0-2-7, with its last victory coming on July 16.

All looked to be going well for Miami when Jordi Alba’s cross went just over the head of Kosi Thompson and Allende headed it home for his ninth goal of the season.

Mihailovic pulled Toronto even. Richie Laryea got to a Jonathan Osorio pass before it went out of bounds and sent the ball back across the goal for an unmarked Mihailovic to tap in his first goal since his $8 million move from the Colorado Rapids last month.

Toronto goalkeeper Johnson made a nice save to deny Messi’s right-footed shot in the 29th. Johnson denied Messi again in the 44th. There were two more great saves in the second half, including Messi’s free kick from the edge of the box.

Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets, who announced this week that he will retire at the end of this season, was replaced in the 71st minute.

“As for Busquets, we saw that he was fatigued,” Mascherano said. “We wanted to add in fresh legs in the midfield with the substitution of Yannick Bright and also start managing minutes because we play again in three days.

“So we have to move a bit, manage, try to take off the players because the wear is very big. That’s it.”

Saturday’s game drew an announced crowd of 28,855 for the first sellout of the season for Toronto.

Information from ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Miami quarterback Carson Beck says it was “never” his plan to spend his final year of collegiate eligibility with another program after spending five seasons with Georgia.

Beck transferred to Miami in January, less than three weeks after suffering a season-ending elbow injury while playing for Georgia in the 2024 SEC title game.

“The ending was tough because it obviously wasn’t part of my plan,” Beck told Darien Rencher about his Georgia career Friday’s episode of I AM ATHLETE. “I never wanted it to end that way, right? I didn’t want to go down in the SEC championship game, get injured, and ultimately end up making the decision to go elsewhere. It was never a part of the plan.

“Ultimately, sometimes, it’s God’s plan, it’s not your plan. So just going with that, and trusting in Him that ultimately this is where I was supposed to be.”

Beck’s final game with Georgia ended when he suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the SEC championship game last December.

Backup quarterback Gunner Stockton came in to lead Georgia to the win, although the Bulldogs’ College Football Playoff ended with a Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame.

One week after Georgia’s elimination from the playoff, Beck entered the transfer portal. He committed to Miami the following day.

CBS Sports’ John Talty and Chris Hummer reported after the transfer that Beck was expected to receive a $4 million NIL package for the 2025 season.

Beck, who underwent elbow surgery in December, completed his rehab in time to join Miami for the start of the 2025 season.

“I think the hardest part for me wasn’t that I was just transferring,” Beck told Rencher. “I was transferring after suffering a major injury. So being in the process of rehabbing, not being able to throw… it was very difficult. And then not only that, but everything else that kind of was going on in my life at the time, and having to move schools, move places, deal with the injury, deal with what just happened the season before.

“It was a lot. It was very mentally taxing.”

Beck is so far off to a strong start to his final college season, helping Miami improve to 3-0 and claim its first win over a ranked opponent by defeating host Tennessee last Saturday.

He will look to help No. 2 Miami improve to 4-0 with another road win against No. 8 Florida State this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Lionel Messi’s popularity has been on the rise in the United States ever since the magician’s arrival at Inter Miami.

Naturally, there have been memorable moments aplenty and it seems many more are still to come.

Recent reports suggest Messi has signed a contract extension that will keep him in South Florida for several more years. The new deal is expected to mark the final chapter of the Argentine superstar’s illustrious career, and should bring with it more goals, assists, and dazzling moments that continue to wow fans around the world.

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Not even Mother Nature can stop Messi. A heavy and chaotic storm in Fort Lauderdale delayed but did not prevent the official presentation of the World Cup winner to an adoring (and drenched) crowd eager to catch a first glimpse of the biggest signing in league history.

Messi steals it, Messi scores it.ANOTHER BRACE FOR LEO. FIVE STRAIGHT GAMES. pic.twitter.com/t9pXjpFsNxJuly 13, 2025

Five Straight Braces. Messi became the first player in MLS history to record five multi-goal games in a row. His victims in that stretch? CF Montreal (twice), the Columbus Crew, the New England Revolution, and, lastly, Nashville SC.

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Inter Miami made history as the first MLS team to beat a European opponent in a competitive match — thanks, of course, to none other than Messi.

The star attacker capped off a comeback effort in Club World Cup group play by curling in a superb free kick, lifting La Rosanegra to a surprise 2-1 win over Portuguese powerhouse FC Porto.

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Messi helped write more history just days later. The Inter Miami captain and his side nearly pulled off another shock triumph over Brazilian heavyweight Palmeiras, but settled for a late 2-2 draw that still marked the first time an MLS outfit reached the knockout rounds of a Club World Cup.

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As if an 11-minute hat-trick was not impressive enough, what came with it made this feat even more memorable.

Messi’s three goals off the bench in a 6-2 pummelling of the Revolution made him Inter Miami’s all-time leading scorer in less than two seasons while simultaneously helping his team break the MLS points record. Not a bad night at the office, yeah?

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It wasn’t a title, but it was a new piece for the trophy cabinet.

Messi and Inter Miami celebrated finishing with the best record in the regular season with a 3-2 road victory over the Columbus Crew, with the global icon finding the back of the net twice.

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An incredible recognition. Messi’s brilliance in his first full MLS season could not be denied, as he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in a private ceremony that was attended by Inter Miami’s academy players.

The living legend finished the regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists.

For the 8th time, Lionel Messi has been awarded the Ballon d’Or. pic.twitter.com/GxTDg7KaruOctober 30, 2023

Messi technically did not win the prestigious award for his Inter Miami exploits, but that still did not stop him from becoming the first active MLS player to claim the Ballon d’Or.

And what made the achievement in Paris even more poetic? Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham was the man to reveal Messi had earned the accolade for a record eighth time before handing his player the trophy.

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You could not script it any better. Messi’s first game with Inter Miami will never be forgotten for how it ended: the talented No. 10 bending home a free kick in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win over Mexican club Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

It almost felt unreal, and served as a perfect intro to his MLS era.

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Collective silverware hasn’t yet been abundant for Messi at Inter Miami, but the first trophy in team history came a mere month into his stateside excursion.

He lit up the Leagues Cup with goals throughout the run to the final, where he once again scored in a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC before converting his spot kick in an epic penalty shootout that ended in celebration.

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Lionel Messi led the charge for Inter Miami CF, scoring twice in the second half to extend his tally to five goals in the past nine days, securing a 4-0 victory over New York City FC on Wednesday night at Citi Field and a spot in the 2025 Major League Soccer playoffs.

Miami head coach Javier Mascherano emphasized that the team had accomplished an important goal, but it was only the first step for a club with aspirations to repeat as Supporters’ Shield champions.

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“We are happy and with the tranquility of having achieved the first goal, which was to qualify for the playoffs. Now we’ll try to finish as high as possible in the standings, which would allow us to have home-field advantage,” Mascherano said.

Messi had the opportunity to record a hat trick when Inter Miami earned a penalty in the 83rd minute, but the Herons captain chose to give the chance to longtime teammate Luis Suárez instead.

“He has done that too many times in his career. Sometimes he looks at some teammates who haven’t scored and need a goal more than him,” Mascherano added.

“He tried to help in this way. For me, it’s great. He tried to show to everyone the team spirit, trying to involve all the players and players that maybe in this case Luis, needed to score. So it’s great.”

Messi has managed two or more goals in eight of the past 12 Inter Miami matches, becoming the fourth player in MLS history to record multiple goals in just eight games in a single season.

Lionel Messi has scored five goals and recorded three assists for Inter Miami in his past three games. Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

The team will now focus on the game against Toronto FC on Saturday night as Inter Miami looks to secure the 2025 Supporters’ Shield.

“We are happy because now we are officially qualified for the playoffs. That was very important for us. Now we have to continue moving forward,” Mascherano said.

“We know we have two games in hand, so we will try to rest and recover before going to Toronto. We know how difficult Saturday will be because we have less than 72 hours to play, but we’ll try to play our best and win the game and to qualify as high as possible. If we can win the five remaining games that we have, it will be great and we’ll have that chance to fight for the Supporters’ Shield.”

Miami sits in third place on the Eastern Conference table with 55 points in 29 games, two matches behind leaders Philadelphia Union.

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No. 4 Miami’s defense stifled Florida throughout a 26-7 win at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. Head coach Billy…

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