UEFA to decide on Villarreal-Barcelona match in Miami in a week | OneFootball

La Liga’s proposal to play the league game between Villarreal and FC Barcelona, scheduled for the weekend of 20 December, in Miami, has stirred up some controversy in Spain.

Several other La Liga clubs have expressed their opposition to the idea, while the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) has also conveyed their concern.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin himself aired his displeasure at the prospect of moving the game to the US, insisting that any league games should be played in their respective countries.

However, with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) giving the green light to the proposal and forwarding the request to UEFA, and both clubs also on board, it seems likely that the game could be moved to the US.

UEFA to decide in a week

In fact, MARCA reports that UEFA will decide on the Villarreal vs Barcelona match in Miami in the coming week.

The UEFA Executive Committee will hold its next meeting in Tirana, Albania, on Thursday, 11 September 2025, from 14:00 to 17:00. The main item on the agenda will be the allocation of host venues for the 2027 European competition finals.

Hard Rock Stadium could host Villarreal vs Barcelona. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

The request from the RFEF to allow the La Liga fixture between Villarreal and Barcelona to be played in Miami will also be discussed.

As mentioned earlier, UEFA President Ceferin has made clear that he does not like the idea of fans having to travel abroad to watch a domestic league fixture.

However, he also admitted that UEFA has limited grounds to block it, as FIFA recently approved such arrangements.

So, La Liga president Javier Tebas might end up being successful in his third attempt to host a league game outside Spain, with the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami likely to host Villarreal vs Barcelona.