22/10/2025
❗️Official: Villarreal's statement on the cancelled Miami match against Barcelona.
Villarreal CF expresses its displeasure with LaLiga for its handling of the match scheduled to be played in the United States against FC Barcelona
Villarreal CF wishes to express its deep displeasure with LaLiga for the poor handling of the match scheduled to be played in Miami against FC Barcelona on December 20, corresponding to Matchday 17, which ultimately will not be played in the United States.
As it has done this season in repeated press appearances through the club's president, Fernando Roig, and CEO, Fernando Roig Negueroles, the club wishes to provide a detailed account of the entire chronology of events regarding this matter:
The project to play a LaLiga match outside of Spain is an initiative of LaLiga itself for the global expansion of the competition. LaLiga proposed Villarreal CF this summer to participate in and host the match against FC Barcelona before the Christmas break. Villarreal CF, as it has publicly stated on numerous occasions, accepted because it believes this project is very beneficial for the club's growth and, above all, for contributing to the development of the competition. However, it requires two fundamental and mandatory conditions for its implementation:
The money allocated to this initiative by LaLiga must be used to compensate Villarreal CF season ticket holders, who are the ones truly affected by this situation for missing one of the matches already included in their season ticket. This includes offering them the option of traveling to Miami for free to watch the match or refunding part of their season ticket money.
Neither of the two participating clubs will receive any direct financial benefit from LaLiga for playing this match, as the money should have been used to compensate Villarreal season ticket holders—as clarified in point 1—and because it would also be unfair to the other LaLiga clubs.
LaLiga understands and agrees to these requests, and Villarreal CF is following its instructions to formalize the request among all parties. LaLiga itself, as the responsible body and the one leading this initiative at all levels, must request all the corresponding permits and communicate all the information to the other clubs and the various competent bodies such as the RFEF, UEFA, FIFA, and AFE.
Since this possibility began to be considered in the summer, understanding the logistical complexity of a match of this magnitude and the implications of a massive travel of fans to another continent, Villarreal CF has made itself fully available to LaLiga and has emphasized the importance of working in advance and planning to meet all the corresponding needs.
With no progress in the development and organization by LaLiga, Villarreal CF has repeatedly expressed its deepest concern to the organization and urged it to define such basic and fundamental aspects as confirming the match time and hiring a travel agency for such a large-scale trip, which are vital to begin the organization. In fact, a meeting was scheduled for this Thursday, in which if these issues were not resolved immediately, the club would withdraw from the project due to not having the minimum conditions guaranteed for the organization.
Last night, minutes before kickoff of the Champions League match between Villarreal CF and Manchester City at the Estadio de la Cerámica, the club was notified by phone by LaLiga that the match was canceled at the discretion of the sponsoring company. However, the information was confidential and the best time would be sought to communicate it jointly, just as it had done for the confirmation of the match on October 8.
However, minutes later, and to the club's surprise, LaLiga decided to issue a unilateral statement announcing the cancellation of a match involving Villarreal during such an important match for the club, demonstrating a complete and utter lack of respect for the club and a lack of sensitivity and empathy.
Villarreal CF regrets that LaLiga, as the organizer, did not better manage the management and that the LaLiga match in Miami cannot go ahead, as it believes it is a good opportunity for the growth of the clubs and LaLiga internationally. For its part, the institution will continue with its policy and philosophy of continuing to contribute to the progress of the club and the competition itself.
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