La Liga's plans to hold games in the U.S. appeared destined to kick-off this season, with several sources claiming Girona-Barcelona will be the game to be held in North America. However, a new report has emerged to pour water on those speculations.
The belief was that La Liga president Javier Tebas, alongside Girona and Barcelona bosses Delfi Geli and Josep Maria Bartomeu, handed an official request to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). However, according to Marca, a meeting between Spanish federation boss Luis Rubiales, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez looks to have derailed those plans.
The consensus that emerged from the trio's meeting in Madrid is that it's too early to stage a league game in Miami. All three parties had their own reason for their reservation.
For the Spanish government, their issue is the fact that both clubs are from Catalonia. As a result, the prime minister fears that staging a Catalan derby in the United States will give the region's independence movement larger awareness.
As for the FIFA and RFEF men, their objections were solely football related. Rubiales feels this initiative might end up hurting the fans and the league, with Girona season-ticket holders being left enraged by this proposition, while Infantino believes this plan merely prioritizes financial gains over everything else.
This means La Liga may not be headed to North America for now. If this plan is blocked this season, expect it to reemerge in the following years.
