IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

La Liga President Javier Tebas Bites Back Over Doubts Regarding Overseas Games

Originally posted on Real Madrid CF on SI
By Jordan Merritt | Last updated Oct 11, 2025 5:42 AM ET

The future of soccer continues to evolve, with expansions to major tournaments and talk of a European Super League. The latter has been met with criticism, as has the recent talk of an overseas La Liga game.

Villarreal will face Barcelona at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on December 20. When it was announced back in August, it was not seen as a great move from players and teams from La Liga, including Real Madrid.

Los Blancos and many others believed it was betraying the tradition of the Spanish league. However, the president of La Liga, Javier Tebas, has fired back at those who think it harms the league.

Javier Tebas Believes Overseas Games are Good for the Market

IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

In a piece from The Athletic, Javier Tebas' response to those who disagree with the game being held in the United States this season was revealed. The president of the league is adamant that the move will be beneficial to both the game and the Spanish league.

"What this does is bring more fans to watch football, whether they’re residents of that country or people from elsewhere who become interested, and it helps the sport grow. The market isn’t going to take fans away from La Liga—quite the opposite."Javier Tebas

Tebas went further, suggesting he would be happy to see other leagues play games in Spain in the future.

“If MLS, Liga MX, or the Ecuadorian league came to play in Spain, that wouldn’t compete with La Liga. It would create more fans, more interest. It’s a synergy. To see this as competition is a conservative vision and I’d even say a wrong one."

IMAGO / Gonzales Photo

FIFA initially blocked the game, but after being taken to court and cleared, it is set to take place in Miami this December. Tebas has been pushing for this for some time, starting back in 2018 when he looked for Barcelona and Girona to play a game on US soil. He has established a commercial relationship with North America and hopes it can continue.

Real Madrid would never give up a home game to an overseas audience, as it would not go down well with their fan base. However, they could see an away game in the future played in the US, and given the demand for tickets at the Club World Cup, it would sell out quickly.

This article first appeared on Real Madrid CF on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: