Soccer-La Liga renew efforts to host game in America
ByReuters
Published 17/10/2019 at 13:30 GMT
MADRID, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Spain's La Liga has renewed its efforts to host a league game in Miami, officially requesting a change of venue for December’s fixture between Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.
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The request, made to Spain’s football federation (RFEF), follows the league’s unsuccessful attempt to host Girona’s January meeting with Barcelona in the American city.
At the time, vocal objections were raised by FIFA, football’s global governing body, whose president Gianni Infantino said he would never authorise a league match to be played outside of its territory.
RFEF president Luis Rubiales was also staunchly against the proposal, as was the Spanish footballers' union.
La Liga says the union has been informed of the latest push to take a game to Miami, after it raised concerns regarding January's fixture.
Ultimately Barcelona withdrew their support for the idea last season, citing a lack of consensus from all the required parties.
A La Liga statement on Thursday said a formal request had been submitted to the RFEF to switch the Dec. 6 encounter between Villareal and Atletico to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
La Liga signed a 15-year agreement with entertainment company Relevent Sports in August last year, designed to promote the sport and La Liga in North America.
The agreement included the commitment to host one of La Liga's regular-season matches per season on the other side of the Atlantic.
"The players and coaches of both teams have been informed and have shown their enthusiasm for being able to play in front of fans in the United States," the La Liga statement said. (Reporting by Joseph Cassinelli Editing by Toby Davis)
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