Spain, resounding backtrack: La Liga forgoes U.S. game

Just as the announcement of the move of Villarreal-Barcelona to Miami had surprised insiders, in the same way comes as a bolt out of the blue the La Liga’s decision to forgo the American trip. In a note published on Tuesday evening, the top management of Spain’s top league in fact announced that it had shelved the project, similar in nature to the one that will bring the staging of Serie A’s Como-Milan to Australia next February.

“La Liga – reads the note – announces that, following talks with the promoter of the match to be played in Miami, the decision has been made to cancel the organization of the event due to the uncertainties that have emerged in Spain in recent weeks. La Liga expresses deep regret that this project, which represented a historic and unprecedented opportunity for the international expansion of Spanish soccer, was not realized. Playing an official match outside national borders would have marked a decisive step in the global growth of the competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the development of players and the visibility of Spanish soccer in a strategic market such as the United States”.

“The project – we read further – fully complied with all federal regulations and did not compromise the integrity of the competition, as confirmed by the competent bodies in charge of ensuring compliance, which objected on other grounds. In an increasingly competitive global landscape, where leagues such as the Premier League or competitions such as the UEFA Champions League continue to expand their reach and revenue-generating capacity, initiatives such as these are critical to ensuring the sustainability and growth of Spanish soccer. Giving up such opportunities hinders the generation of new revenue, limits the ability of clubs to invest and compete, and reduces the international projection of the entire Spanish soccer ecosystem”.

“However, we would like to thank the clubs for their willingness and cooperation in this project, as well as for their continued commitment to the growth of the competition. For our part, we will continue, as always, to work to take Spanish soccer to every corner of the world, promoting an open, modern and competitive vision that can benefit clubs, players and fans” conclude the top brass of the Spanish top league.