Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid in Miami?! La Liga chief Javier Tebas confirms plans to play game in US 'as soon as possible'

Efforts are underway to take two of Spain's biggest teams to the United States. This move would mark the first time in the 95-year history of the Spanish league that a match is played abroad. Although past attempts have failed, the proposal is gaining momentum, and the 18th matchday fixture between Barcelona & Atletico, scheduled for between December 20 and 22, is targeted for this historic occasion, as reported by Relevo.

The idea of playing a La Liga match in the U.S. is not new. In 2018, La Liga, in partnership with Relevent Sports, attempted to bring a game between Barcelona and Girona to American soil. However, the plan was thwarted by opposition from FIFA and the U.S. Soccer Federation. Despite the setback, Tebas has not given up on his vision. This time, the proposal has reached a more advanced stage, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both expressing support for the idea.

For Tebas, the United States is a priority market. The appeal is clear: with the FIFA World Cup set to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in 2026, and the inaugural Club World Cup planned for the U.S. in 2025, the American market is ripe for expansion. The U.S. is home to nearly 300 million potential consumers, and La Liga wants a share of this lucrative market.

Tebas is cautious but optimistic. “It does not depend only on us, but if we are able to do it, we will. The idea is to do it as soon as possible,” he said in an interview with The Athletic.

“I cannot put a timeframe, but we are already working on it. The teams that take part will do so voluntarily. I will not decide it for them. We have to find a good date in the calendar, but we are going to try to do it in Miami, where we tried previously. We are not going to do a whole gameweek. It will be one game (per season), and that’s it.

"There are always going to be people against (an idea). We will to try to provide solutions to those who usually go to the stadium of the affected teams. We will try to be didactic in the explanations. We are talking about a single game, we are not talking about the entire competition. It is a single game among 380 in a season and it can help us maintain the economic level of our league.”

Atletico Madrid’s chief operating officer, Oscar Mayo Pardo, has made it clear that the club is eager to be part of this historic event. When asked how La Liga could challenge the Premier League’s dominance in the U.S., Mayo responded unequivocally: “Play a match in the U.S.”

He further added: "We would love to be one of the first two clubs in the history of European leagues to play (competitively) in the U.S.. La Liga knows we are totally available for that and, when it will be possible, it will be a pleasure for us.

"We have to explain it properly. When we see the NBA coming to Europe, we all say these people are smart and they know how marketing works. But when we try, it always is a little bit more difficult. But, as a club, being one of the first in the history to play a match in the U.S., we (would) have to be proud of this milestone. The U.S. is our second-biggest market. The World Cup is coming. It’s an industry of entertainment. Football is growing. So to me, in the next five years, the market is the U.S.”

Barcelona, too, have shown interest in the idea. For the Catalan club, playing a match in Miami would not only provide an economic boost but also reduce the number of games they have to play at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, where they are temporarily based during renovations at Camp Nou. And given Barcelona’s financial difficulties, the prospect of a match in Miami offers a welcome opportunity to generate additional revenue. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid would benefit from the additional revenue to offset their substantial spending on transfers. Hence, both clubs stand to gain from the exposure and commercial opportunities that come with playing in a market as large as the United States.

Despite the enthusiasm from both clubs, there are still significant hurdles to overcome. The proposal requires approval from various stakeholders, including FIFA, the U.S. Soccer Federation, and Major League Soccer (MLS). In 2018, FIFA’s opposition was a major roadblock, but recent developments suggest that the governing body’s stance may be softening. Earlier this year, FIFA announced its intention to review its policies on hosting competitive matches abroad, signalling a potential shift that could pave the way for Tebas’ vision to become a reality.