Soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona moved a step closer on Monday to playing a LaLiga match against Villarreal CF in Miami this season.

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) approved a request from both clubs to move forward with planning the first overseas contest in the history of Spain’s top flight.

The Villarreal-Barcelona game is scheduled for the weekend of Dec. 20, 2025. Both teams asked for the match to be moved from Villarreal’s Estadio de La Ceramica to Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

“After receiving and reviewing the paperwork received, and after the approval of the board, the RFEF will pass on the request to UEFA to begin the procedures for FIFA’s prior authorisation of the game at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, on December 20 2025, in accordance with FIFA’s international game regulations and the applicable rules approved by the RFEF,” the RFEF said in a statement Monday, per ESPN.

The other federations involved — U.S. Soccer Federation, FIFA, UEFA and Concacaf — would still need to sign off on the match.

–Field Level Media