LaLiga arrives in the USA! The RFEF will request a UEFA license to play Barça-Villarreal in Miami

This Monday could be a historic day. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has called its board of directors for a meeting, and one of the points to be discussed is validating LaLiga's request to UEFA to play the match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, on the upcoming December 20th for matchday 17 of the 25/26 season.

Once both teams agree and the RFEF's request is submitted to UEFA, the governing body, having been informed of the proposal, is the one that must authorize the match according to FIFA's Regulations Governing International Matches, which state that it must be approved no later than 21 days before the match in question is played.

Confirmation of the match must be known before November 30th. After granting authorization, UEFA must send a request to CONCACAF and the United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer). FIFA must be made aware of the procedure, but authorization from the entity is not necessary to hold the match, as long as the corresponding steps are followed.

Joan Laporta has already green-lit Barça's trip to the United States

For his part, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta supports the idea of playing a match on U.S. territory. "It would be a great honor to participate in that event: an official LaLiga match that, at the same time, would be a major event in the United States," the president stated in an interview with 'CNN' during the Asian tour.

Laporta also highlighted that in the United States, Barça has a large fanbase and they are well-loved and respected as a club whenever they visit the country. Additionally, he mentioned that there were plans to play a match on American soil last season, but a formal request was never made.

Barça was already close to playing a LaLiga match in Miami

This is not the first time LaLiga has wanted to organize a match on U.S. territory. In the 18/19 season, the league activated 'Plan Miami' and the chosen match was Girona vs. FC Barcelona on matchday 21. An American judge ruled against holding the match due to a lack of agreement between FIFA, the RFEF, and the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE).

This time, with Rafael Louzán at the helm of the RFEF, negotiations are on the right track. Now, it would come down to waiting for the approval of David Aganzo, the president of the AFE. For Barça, there would be no problem regarding their home gate receipts, as the matchday 17 game is scheduled, in principle, to be played at the Estadio de la Cerámica.