UEFA reluctantly approves Villarreal-Barcelona game in Miami

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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