The RFEF approves the Villarreal-Barcelona League match in Miami.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will forward the request to UEFA to begin the process of seeking authorization from FIFA for the Villarreal-Barcelona match, Matchday 17 of the EA Sports LaLiga on December 21, to be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The organization, chaired by Rafael Louzán, has confirmed that its Board of Directors has approved the processing of the request made by the two clubs involved, in accordance with FIFA's International Match Regulations and the implementing rules approved by the RFEF.

The relocation of a La Liga match to Miami, which was the subject of legal disputes between La Liga and the RFEF five years ago, was opposed by David Aganzo , president of the Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) and vice president of the RFEF, and Miguel Ángel Nadal, a former player assigned to the board for the development of the men's national team. The union has questioned the issue being handled unilaterally by the RFEF and La Liga, without taking the players' opinions into account, according to sources close to the board.

Five years ago, LaLiga and the RFEF went to court over the latter's refusal to authorize the Girona-Barcelona match of the 2018-2019 season to be held in the United States. The dispute was resolved in favor of the employers' association. First, in a commercial court in Madrid, then in the Provincial Court, and then in the Supreme Court. The RFEF did not authorize the transfer at that time, invoking the general principle that official matches in a regular national competition should be played within the territory of the same national association.

In March 2020, Madrid's Commercial Court No. 12 ruled against LaLiga's claim, and its appeal was subsequently rejected by the Provincial Court in December 2021 and by the Supreme Court in September 2024.

A year ago, FIFA decided to introduce changes to the International Match Regulations regarding the authorization of matches outside the corresponding federation's territory, taking into account potential consequences for the balance of competition, including the interests of other teams in the competition. It is no longer prohibited for a LaLiga match to be played outside Spain, so, if UEFA and FIFA do not prohibit it—with this change in regulations—LaLiga EA Sports will play its first official match outside of Spain on December 21.