Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong bluntly hit out at the club’s La Liga match against Villarreal in December being moved to Miami, stating it’s not “right for the players.”
It will be the first ever fixture in Spain’s top flight to be played overseas, bringing to fruition longstanding plans to take a competitive fixture to an international audience and further push the league’s standing in foreign markets.
Plans to stage last season’s Barcelona-Atlético Madrid in Miami were eventually cancelled, but after UEFA’s reluctant approval, La Liga president Javier Tebas has firmed things up for this December. The game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Dec.20.
But while an incredible opportunity for both La Liga and U.S.-based fans, the move has been widely criticized and Barcelona’s own De Jong is among those to have made negative feelings clear.
“I don’t like the fact that we’re going to play there and I don’t agree with this,” the senior Barcelona midfielder told reporters while on international duty with the Netherlands.
“It’s not fair for the competition. Now we’re playing an away game on neutral ground. I don’t like it and I don’t think it’s right for the players. The clubs are going to get paid for this, but I don’t agree with playing a league game in Miami. I understand that other clubs don’t agree."
UEFA President Concerned by Competitive Distortion
🎥 @Tebasjavier, President of LALIGA, at the @sportssummitof, on the first official LALIGA match in Miami:
— LALIGA Corporativo (@LaLigaCorp) October 9, 2025
💬 "Taking our culture to other places doesn’t make us lose our tradition, on the contrary, it elevates it. We must not give space to demagoguery." pic.twitter.com/e0soQQRxKv
This was supposed to be Villarreal’s home match and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin also highlighted the “distortive” impact of moving it on fair competition.
“League matches should be played on home soil,” Čeferin said, despite UEFA’s overall approval.
“Anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions. Our consultation confirmed the breadth of these concerns. I would like to thank the 55 national associations for their constructive and responsible engagement on such a sensitive issue.”
He added that UEFA won’t be making a habit of letting games be played overseas: “While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent. Our commitment is clear: to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains anchored in its home environment.”
Tebas Defends Miami Game
Tebas justified the decision on the basis that it makes up just 0.26% of the whole season, claiming it does not take away from La Liga’s “commitment” to local Spanish fans.
“This is one game out of the 380 that make up the season,” he stressed. “La Liga represents millions of fans around the world, including many who follow their teams passionately and deserve the chance to experience seeing them live at least once.
“This match is about bringing our football closer to that global fanbase without diminishing our commitment to those who enjoy it week in, week out in stadiums across Spain.”
The NFL, NBA and MLB have all held numerous regular season games internationally for years, to the betterment of their international appeal and global presence.
READ THE LATEST BARCELONA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Frenkie de Jong Lashes Out at Barcelona Game in Miami.
