Spanish league moves closer to holding regular-season game in US, between Villarreal and Barcelona

MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league is closer to playing its first-ever regular-season game in the United States.

The Spanish soccer federation on Monday approved a request for the match between Villarreal and Barcelona to be played in Miami on Dec. 20.

The federation will now seek approval from soccer governing bodies UEFA and FIFA.

The 17th-round match in La Liga would be played at the Hard Rock Stadium.

The league first tried to stage a match in the U.S. in 2018, with a game 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.

Staging a match abroad has been part of the league’s goal of promoting soccer and its brand in other countries.

The first attempt for a league match in the U.S. came after the league signed a long-term partnership with sports and entertainment group Relevent Sports, which is part of Stephen Ross’ portfolio of companies including Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins, the Formula One’s Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open tennis tournament.

FIFA moved last year toward ending decades of soccer tradition by ordering a review of its policy that blocks domestic league games being played in other countries.

Some fan groups in Spain and the country’s players association on Monday expressed their disapproval of the plan to move the match thousands of miles (kilometers) away.

It has become routine, though, for United States pro sports leagues to stage games in Europe, Asia and South America that help build their brands and fan bases.

The Spanish league offered compensation packages for Girona fans when it tried to take its home match against Barcelona to the U.S. in 2018.

___

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