Real Madrid asks FIFA and UEFA to suspend Villarreal - Barça in Miami

Real Madrid has issued a statement in which it firmly rejects the proposal to play the Villarreal-Barcelona match, corresponding to matchday 17 of LaLiga, outside Spain.

The match, scheduled for December 20, could be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. This initiative, promoted by Villarreal and Barça, has already received approval from the RFEF chaired by Rafael Louzán.

The white club rejects the change of venue

The white club states that it was neither informed nor consulted before this decision. It considers that the measure breaks the basic principle of territorial reciprocity in a double round-robin league: one match at home and another at the rival's stadium.

According to Real Madrid, changing the venue alters the balance of the competition and gives a sporting advantage to the requesting clubs. In addition, it warns that this precedent could open the door to decisions motivated by interests unrelated to sports.

In its statement, the Madrid club emphasizes that any change of this kind must have the unanimous agreement of all the teams involved. Furthermore, it must comply with the national and international regulations governing official competitions.

Three measures to prevent the match from being played in Miami

To stop the match in Miami, Real Madrid has taken three measures. The first, to request that FIFA not authorize the match without the prior consent of all LaLiga clubs. The second, to ask UEFA to urge the RFEF to withdraw or reject the request, recalling the 2018 criterion that prevents official matches from being played outside Spain except in exceptional cases. The third, to address the Higher Sports Council so that it doesn't grant the necessary administrative authorization without unanimous agreement.

Meanwhile, the RFEF has confirmed that the Board of Directors received the request from Villarreal and Barça on August 11, 2025. After reviewing the documentation, it decided to approve the request and forward it to UEFA to begin the process with FIFA.

If successful, the match would be played in the United States under the framework of the International Match Regulations. Madrid insists that it will defend the integrity of the competition and that it will take this case "to the highest authorities" to ensure equal conditions are respected.