Kick-off whistle → 15-second delay protest...In the end, La Liga raised its hands, why on earth?
Oct 22, 2025
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Primera Liga announced the suspension of its U.S. hosting plan due to the "uncertainty occurring in the domestic league recently". Chairman Javier Tebas said in a statement that "we regret that we failed to realize this initiative which could have been a historic and incomparable opportunity for the internationalization of Spanish football."
The Primera Liga secretariat has been vowing to host the Villarreal-Barcelona match in the United States since last summer. The reason was that it would seek a rebound by expanding the market by hosting overseas leagues due to the decreasing imports of broadcasting rights. The Primera Liga secretariat received a procedure to host the league overseas from UEFA and was recently notified of its approval. As a result, the game will be held at Miami Hard Rock Stadium on December 21.
However, other teams protested. The reason is that they did not seek consent procedures from the rest of the clubs except Villarreal and Barcelona, even though it was not a friendly match but an official league schedule. Villarreal and Barcelona fans, as well as other clubs, rose up. Villarreal and Barcelona players also showed signs of discomfort due to the accumulation of fatigue and increased risk of injury due to long-distance travel. Eventually, in the match between Barcelona and Girona on the 18th, after the referee's kickoff whistle, there were protests to delay the game in which players deliberately did not touch the ball for 15 seconds. As the controversy grew, the Primera Liga secretariat eventually raised the white flag.
Tebas said, `The global competitive environment is intensifying, with the English Premier League and the European Champions League increasing their influence and profitability. Such efforts (hosting overseas leagues) are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish soccer. "Giving up these opportunities will eventually weaken the competitiveness of the club and reduce the league's overseas status."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
