LaLiga Prepares Fresh Push to Bring Regular Season Match to United States

Spanish football's top division is gearing up for another attempt to bring LaLiga action to the United States. League president Javier Tebas confirmed Thursday that organizing a regular-season fixture on American turf remains a priority for the organization.

During his appearance at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London, Tebas emphasized his determination to make it happen. "We are going to try again. I'm not sure when. We have to bring it up at the right time," the league president stated.

This represents LaLiga's latest effort in an ongoing campaign. Previously, Barcelona and Villarreal were scheduled to meet at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on December 20 in what would have been a groundbreaking moment — the first time a major European football league contested a regular-season match on foreign soil.

However, those arrangements fell apart in October following significant opposition from various stakeholders including clubs, players, and supporters. Critics highlighted competitive fairness concerns, noting that some squads would face intercontinental travel while their opponents enjoyed home comforts.

Tebas Makes Case for International Expansion

The Spanish league chief remains unconvinced by the objections. "I don't think it will cause damage," Tebas maintained. "We are talking about one match out of 380 in a season."

He points to North American professional sports leagues as successful examples. The NFL and NBA have been staging matches across London, Berlin, Madrid, and various international locations for years. Tebas believes European football should embrace similar global opportunities.

"We celebrate Halloween, which we never celebrated 20 years ago. We have NFL games. We have NBA games," Tebas noted. His worry extends decades into the future: European stadiums could sit empty while North American sports fill arenas across the continent.

According to Tebas, American leagues aren't crossing the Atlantic for tourism purposes. They're cultivating supporter bases, negotiating broadcasting agreements, and attracting younger audiences. "We opened the doors to Europe. Instead, the United States, which opens the doors for us to go, we close them here in Europe," he argued.

Previous Attempts and Obstacles

LaLiga nearly succeeded with last year's initiative. In October, both UEFA and the Spanish football federation gave their blessing to the Miami fixture. However, widespread player opposition emerged, and promoter Relevent ultimately cancelled the event, citing insufficient preparation time.

The league's ambitions date back further. In 2019, another American match was in development until FIFA intervened. FIFA's governing body stressed that "official league matches must be played within the territory of the respective member association." Barcelona subsequently abandoned the proposal.

For football betting enthusiasts tracking LaLiga, any successful future U.S. matches could significantly influence match odds. Clubs making the transatlantic journey would contend with jet lag and schedule disruption. These factors could affect team performance in fixtures surrounding the American trip, potentially offering valuable betting insights for those contests.

Tebas also addressed the prolonged Manchester City financial investigation. City is facing more than 100 charges for allegedly violating Premier League regulations, with no decision announced despite hearings concluding in December 2024. "When you have this type of situation, you're generating uncertainty and that's damaging for an institution's image," Tebas commented.