Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, and Dani Ceballos, second from left, challenge for the ball with Villarreal's Santiago Mourino, left, and Pape Gueye during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

By The Canadian Press

La Liga confirms first-ever regular-season game abroad with Villarreal facing Barcelona in the US

Oct 8, 2025 | 10:55 AM

MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league is finally playing a regular-season game in the United States.

La Liga confirmed Wednesday that Villarreal and Barcelona will face each other at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Dec. 20.

“This match is a historic step that takes La Liga and Spanish football to an all-new level,” Spanish league president Javier Tebas said in a league statement.

He and the league had been pushing for a regular-season game abroad for some time, with the first attempt coming in 2018 with a match between Barcelona and Girona, but the idea was dismissed after criticism from some players, fans and clubs. Its subsequent attempts to play there also failed but the plan moved forward this time after UEFA on Monday gave consent for the game despite opposition from fan groups across the continent.

___

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

open house

Surplus forecasted for 2026 La Ronge operating budget

Nov 17, 2025

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press