The board of FC Barcelona issued a statement after the cancellation was confirmed of the match that the Barça team and Villarreal were to play on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Just as the club supported LaLiga's initiative to play in the United States from the beginning, it has also supported the decision to finally cancel what would be the first official match of the competition outside of Spain.

Finally, pressure from other clubs and organizations linked to Spanish football led the event's promoting company, Relevent, to suspend the match once ticket sales, which were scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 21, were postponed.

Barcelona's statement on the suspension of the La Liga match in Miami

FC Barcelona respects and abides by the decision to cancel the match that was going to pit us against Villarreal in Miami, corresponding to matchday 17 of LaLiga, in the same way that it abided by and respected the decision to play made in its day.

FC Barcelona regrets the lost opportunity to expand the competition's image in a strategic market with the capacity for growth and resource generation for the benefit of all. The Club appreciates the unconditional support and affection it has received from our fans in the United States and deeply regrets that they will be deprived of the opportunity to witness the official match in the country.

Barça Loses an Income of Almost 6 Million Euros This Season

Although the official amount that Villarreal and Barcelona would earn for playing in Miami had not been confirmed, various sources claimed that the Barça team would receive between 5 and 6 million euros for the match. 

The board viewed the initiative very favorably, beyond the stance of the squad and coaching staff regarding a trip before the end of the year that would further burden the Barça schedule.

Boosting Barça's image in the U.S. market and opening doors for future events in the country were the club's main argument for supporting the relocation of Matchday 17 of La Liga to Florida.

Finally, the match will be played at its original venue (the Estadio de la Cerámica), although the league association presided over by Javier Tebas will surely resume the project of playing a La Liga match in the USA in the medium term. Barça, in that sense, will probably support the initiative again in the future.