Why Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid could be played in Miami
FIFA will make the final call on the plan
Barcelona’s upcoming La Liga fixture against Atletico Madrid, set for December, may be played in Miami, with La Liga officials optimistic that FIFA will approve the groundbreaking proposal.
If approved, it would mark the first time a La Liga match has been held in the United States.
FIFA, the global governing body of football, will make the final call on the plan.
The match is currently scheduled for 22 December, just before La Liga’s winter break.
Both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are also slated to compete in the Spanish Super Cup in early January, which will take place in Saudi Arabia.
This move comes amid growing efforts to globalize domestic football.
Earlier this year, in April, FIFA withdrew from a legal dispute with match promoter Relevent, which has been pushing to bring European league matches to the U.S.
In May, FIFA announced the formation of a working group to assess the potential impact of holding competitive domestic matches outside of their home countries.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has been vocal about his ambition to expand the league’s reach internationally, and this Miami match could be the first step toward that goal.
Barcelona previously attempted to stage a league game against Girona in Miami back in January 2019, but the plan was abandoned due to resistance from Spain’s football association and the players’ union.
While there is still work to be done, league insiders remain hopeful that the necessary approvals will be granted to proceed with the event.
Meanwhile, the Premier League has stated it has no intention of playing matches overseas.
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