{"id":660307,"date":"2025-10-07T02:33:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T06:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=660307"},"modified":"2026-02-03T19:45:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T00:45:00","slug":"fc-barcelona-match-uefa-didnt-want-may-become-its-future-business-model","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2025\/10\/07\/fc-barcelona-match-uefa-didnt-want-may-become-its-future-business-model\/","title":{"rendered":"The FC Barcelona Miami Match UEFA \u2018Didn\u2019t Want\u2019 May Become Its Future Business Model"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday, UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, reluctantly approved<\/a> a proposal to stage a LaLiga game between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami this December. Alongside a Serie A game between AC Milan and Como 1907<\/a> scheduled for Perth in February 2026, these two matches would be the first official European domestic games played for points outside of Europe. Previously, matches beyond Europe\u2019s borders were only permitted as exhibitions, cup games, or other less important formats.<\/p>\n

FC Barcelona’s Quest to Solve Their Financial Squeeze<\/h2>\n

The catalyst for this \u201cdifficult\u201d decision by UEFA, LaLiga, and ultimately FIFA, is FC Barcelona’s ongoing struggle to solve their financial crisis. Publicly revealed<\/a> in 2021 by club president Joan Laporta, FC Barcelona was drowning in $1.6 billion of debt. Around that time, international superstar Lionel Messi left the club for PSG<\/a>\u2014a team backed by Qatari ownership that could offer him a record contract and surround him with other global stars like Neymar Jr., another former Barcelona player.<\/p>\n

While Barcelona has remained competitive in both LaLiga and the Champions League\u2014winning two LaLiga titles since the financial crisis began\u2014they are walking a financial high wire. The term \u201clevers\u201d has become footballing lore, as the club has used extraordinary measures to comply with LaLiga (and UEFA\u2019s) financial fair play rules. These include selling seat licenses, future TV and commercial media rights<\/a>, and stadium naming rights for the new Camp Nou, now sponsored by Spotify. The new stadium is still experiencing setbacks in opening<\/a>. Last year, player Dani Olmo was nearly removed from the roster<\/a> as Barcelona had to appeal LaLiga\u2019s decision that it lacked the financial capacity to register him.<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n