The La Liga encounter between Barcelona and Villarreal, originally scheduled for December 20, 2025, in Miami, has been called off. This game was set to be the first regular-season Spanish league match held outside Spain.

The cancellation followed strong pushback from clubs, players, and fans. Real Madrid lodged a complaint with Spain’s Sports Ministry, arguing that moving the match abroad would disrupt the traditional home-and-away format. The players’ union, AFE, criticized the lack of consultation, while several players staged silent protests during other league matches.

Event organizer Relevent cited insufficient time to properly organize the game and warned that selling tickets without confirmation would have been irresponsible. Both Barcelona and Villarreal had supported the Miami plan, offering fans incentives such as discounted season tickets and free travel, but expressed disappointment at the decision.

La Liga acknowledged the cancellation as a setback for efforts to grow Spanish football internationally and boost club revenues. The match will now be held at Villarreal’s home stadium, La Cerámica, on the original date of December 20, 2025.