BARCELONA: Spain’s LaLiga has stated it remains committed to continuing with its efforts to host top flight league games in the US, the rebuff delivered by FC Barcelona notwithstanding.
The LaLiga heavyweights, following a board meeting on Monday, had made it official they would not be playing against FC Girona in a fixture that was scheduled to take place on January 26 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
The scheduled fixture was set to be the first time a top European league played an official league match outside of Europe.
Barça declared it considers it an impossibility at this point given a lack of agreement between several organizing bodies. The Spanish FA, as well as UEFA, FIFA, and the Spanish players’ union, had all balked at the idea.
The January fixture was planned as the kick-off event of a 15-year agreement announced earlier this year between Spain’s top division and Relevent Sports.
LaLiga statement in full:
LaLiga wishes to comment on the decision made by FC Barcelona this evening:
1. We would like to commend FC Barcelona and Girona FC for their willingness to chart new ground by playing the first LaLiga match outside of Spain. The LaLiga partnership with Relevent is a 15-year agreement and the effort to grow LaLiga in North America goes on as we continue our efforts to play the match. From the beginning we have said that participation in the game abroad is voluntary and if FC Barcelona does not feel now is the right time to play, the game scheduled in Miami will not be played on the agreed date.
2. We regret disappointing our fans in the US and will work to, in the shortest time possible, play an official LaLiga game in the US, just like the major American leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) play games abroad.
3. LaLiga will continue its court proceeding so an official league game can be played outside of Spain. LaLiga believes strongly that The Real Federación Española de Fútbol (Royal Spanish Football Federation, RFEF) is not acting in accordance with the law.
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