Overview

• RFEF’s board has formally agreed to process FC Barcelona and Villarreal’s request to relocate their 17th-matchday game abroad.
• Under FIFA and UEFA rules, the application must be approved sequentially by UEFA and then by FIFA before the match can proceed.
• The clubs propose playing on 20 December 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium, which would mark the first regular-season LaLiga match outside Spain.
• Barcelona and Villarreal have cleared their winter schedules in anticipation of approval as LaLiga seeks to expand its U.S. audience.
• The players’ union, some RFEF board members, CENAFE and Real Madrid have criticized the move and signaled potential legal challenges.