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.

Spanish football could finally cross the Atlantic after the Royal Spanish Football Federation approved a request for Barcelona and Villarreal to play their December La Liga 2025-26 match in Miami – a move nearly a decade in the making.

The RFEF will now seek permission from Fifa and Uefa to move the game to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which is scheduled to host seven matches at the 2026 World Cup. The game is currently scheduled to be played at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica on 21 December.