La Liga cancels Barca v Villarreal match in Miami

La Liga has announced the cancellation of its controversial plan to hold the match between Villarreal and FC Barcelona in Miami.

Lamine Yamal (R) of Barcelona vies with Alex Baena of Villarreal during the Laliga football match between Barcelona and Villarreal CF in Barcelona, Spain, on May 18, 2025. (Photo by Joan Gosa/Xinhua)

The news follows opposition from rival clubs and players, who staged a 15-second protest before every La Liga game last weekend. The protest was in response to the Spanish footballers' union (AFE) insisting that the Miami game posed health risks to its members and criticized the lack of proper consultation regarding the plan to host the game in the United States.

"La Liga informs that, following discussions with the promoter of the Official LA LIGA Match in Miami, the latter has announced its decision to cancel the event due to the uncertainty generated in Spain in recent weeks," informed the statement issued by La Liga, which adds that it "deeply regrets" the project will not proceed.

"Hosting an official match outside our borders would have been a decisive step in the global expansion of our competition, strengthening the international presence of the clubs, the positioning of the players, and the brand of Spanish football in a strategic market like the United States," explained the statement.