Barcelona and Atletico 'could play La Liga match in US this year' as green light close

La Liga matches could be heading stateside as early as this December, with Barcelona’s clash with Atletico Madrid reportedly one of the games being considered.

Talk of games being played abroad has been on the cards for some time, as football continues to grow in the United States.

Just like the Premier League, La Liga is no different, with reports suggesting that the dream – for some at least – is close to becoming a reality.

It’s reported by The Dail Mail that Barcelona’s mid-December meeting with Atletico Madrid, traditionally one of the biggest games on the La Liga calendar, could be played in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium.

Chiefs at both clubs are said to have been in contact with the La Liga bigwigs, but any final decision would require approval from the Spanish Football Federation, as well as UEFA and FIFA.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has been a long-time admirer of moving games abroad and said last summer: “It’s a mark of respect to the US fans [of La Liga]. We are seeing NBA and NFL playing in Europe or in Mexico. This would resonate in the American market.”

It came after a pre-season friendly between Real Madrid and Barcelona commanded a whopping crowd of 82,500 people at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

La Liga have attempted to move fixtures abroad in the past, but that came under the leadership of disgraced former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales, who was opposed to the idea.

But it’s believed in the post-Rubiales era, the sentiment towards competitive league fixtures taking place away from Spain is much higher.

As well as growing the game in the States, there is an ulterior motive at play for Spanish clubs, particularly Barcelona whose financial situation continues to worsen.

The cash-strapped Catalan side are in the midst of a stadium renovation, with the report suggesting they’re one of the teams pushing hardest for games to be taken abroad, because of the financial boost it would provide.

It’s estimated Barcelona’s current debt is in excess of £2billion, with the club continuing to lose money while the Camp Nou is under construction.

Barcelona are hopeful they’ll be able to return to Camp Nou in early 2025, but construction isn’t expected to be completed until 2026 at the earliest, making the need to explore fresh revenue streams an urgent matter.

It comes amid speculation English football could follow suit, with NBC Sports executive Jon Miller revealing earlier this year the broadcaster were in talks with the Premier League.

Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “We’ve had conversations with the Premier League and they’ve been very open and receptive to listening to me.”