FC Barcelona are set to play their first-ever La Liga match outside of Spain, with their clash against Villarreal being moved to Miami — a decision that sparked a strong reaction from captain Frenkie de Jong. After the midfielder publicly voiced his disagreement with the league’s plan, club president Joan Laporta made his stance clear.
On Wednesday, October 8, La Liga president Javier Tebas confirmed that the Matchday 17 fixture of the 2025–26 season between Barcelona and Villarreal will be held in Miami. The game, scheduled for December 20, has already stirred controversy, particularly among players and clubs directly affected by the move.
Currently on international duty with the Netherlands, De Jong was asked Thursday about the new initiative, and he didn’t hold back: “I don’t like it. I can understand the clubs financially, they will of course profit from it, and they can spread their brand further across the world. But I wouldn’t do it.“
The Dutch midfielder also explained how the venue change impacts not only the players but also the integrity of the competition. “It’s not good for the players. You have to travel a lot. It’s also not fair in terms of competition. For us, it’s now an away match on neutral ground. I totally understand if other clubs aren’t happy about that,” he concluded.
FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta.
With his contract at Barça set to expire at the end of the 2025–26 season, De Jong also addressed his renewal talks with the club: “As I always say, I’m going to renew my contract with Barcelona. We’re very close. When there’s real news, you’ll find out, but for now I can’t say anything.”
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De Jong has been a key figure in Barcelona’s midfield alongside Pedri, and after joining the club in 2019, he now holds the captain’s armband. With the RFEF (Spanish FA), La Liga, and UEFA already approving the change of venue, only CONCACAF’s approval remains, as the confederation will host the match.
Joan Laporta’s response to De Jong
De Jong’s comments quickly went viral, as the Barcelona captain openly opposed the idea of playing a La Liga game outside Spain. However, this scenario has long been on the club’s radar — last year, Barca came close to moving their match against Atlético Madrid to U.S. soil, though the plan ultimately fell through.
With the necessary approvals now in place, Barcelona president Joan Laporta made the club’s position clear: “If La Liga tells us to go play in Miami, we believe it’s La Liga that governs the competition, and we will go play in Miami. I understand the reactions that have come up — from players and others. I know our captain, De Jong, said it’s not something he particularly likes, but the competitions are the ones that regulate all of this.”
Laporta concluded by emphasizing that the focus remains on winning. “In that sense, we’ll go play the match wherever they tell us to, because what we want is to win the three points. And I hope we do, so that we can keep adding to our tally in La Liga,” Laporta concluded.
