
Gemma Soler joins ESPN FC to elucidate the conflict that has led to Marc-Andre ter Stegen shedding the captaincy at Barcelona. (2:17)
The Spanish soccer federation (RFEF)’s board will talk about on Monday taking step one within the means of holding December’s LaLiga recreation between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami, a federation spokesperson has confirmed to ESPN.
LaLiga has lengthy labored to play a aggressive match in the US, with president Javier Tebas telling ESPN last year that the league was aiming for the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
The league first tried to carry a recreation between Girona and Barcelona in Miami in 2018, however the try was thwarted after opposition from the RFEF and FIFA.
On Sunday, an RFEF spokesperson confirmed to ESPN {that a} level of order in its board of administrators’ assembly on Monday was “elevating to UEFA the request to start the procedures for the prior authorization from FIFA of the taking part in of the matchday 17 first division recreation between Barcelona and Villarreal at ‘Onerous Rock Stadium’ in Miami on December 20, 2025, in accordance with FIFA’s guidelines on worldwide matches, and the rules accepted by the RFEF.”
FIFA dropped its opposition to a aggressive LaLiga match being performed in the US after world soccer’s governing physique — in addition to the US Soccer Federation — confronted a lawsuit from Related Sports activities Group, the Spanish league’s enterprise accomplice within the US.
That swimsuit was dismissed in April, after an settlement was reached between the events.
A aggressive recreation being performed abroad requires approval from the confederations concerned, which on this case could be UEFA and Concacaf, in addition to the RFEF and United States Soccer Federation (USSF).
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The RFEF board deciding to formally move the matter on to UEFA on Monday could be step one on this course of.
The Spanish federation’s earlier opposition to the plans coincided with the presidency of Luis Rubiales, who clashed with LaLiga and Tebas on a sequence of points.
Rubiales resigned in 2023 after an outcry over his behaviour within the aftermath of the Ladies’s World Cup ultimate, and his successor, Rafael Louzan, has adopted a extra conciliatory method with the league.
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