Podcast Summary: Why was Barcelona's league game in Miami cancelled?

The Athletic FC Podcast
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
Guests: Dermot Corrigan, Matt Slater, James Horncastle (voice note)
Date: October 23, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deep into the sudden cancellation of the much-anticipated La Liga match between Barcelona and Villarreal, originally scheduled to take place in Miami in December. Host Ayo Akinwolere, joined by The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan and Matt Slater, explores why the event fell through, what it means for Spanish football, and the wider theme of leagues seeking growth abroad to match the Premier League’s corporate strength. The show also touches on similar moves in Serie A, fan and player power, Spanish football politics, and the upcoming El Clasico.

Main Theme and Purpose

• Main Theme: Why La Liga’s attempt to stage a competitive fixture abroad, specifically Barcelona vs Villarreal in Miami, was cancelled.
• Purpose: To analyze the key forces—political, financial, fan and player reaction, and internal Spanish football rivalries—that scuppered the plan, and discuss possible implications for similar ventures in other leagues.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Breaking News: Miami Game Cancelled

[01:57–03:10]

• Adam Krafton broke the story; the cancellation was a shock even to players and manager Hansi Flick.
• La Liga and organizer Relevant had worked for years for such a deal; initial go-aheads seemed in place.
• Protests mounted in Spain; time constraints cited as the official reason for pulling the plug.

Quote:
“It came as a shock to everybody. Even the Barca players who were just on their way out of this stadium didn’t know about it.” —Dermot Corrigan [02:32]

2. The Role of Real Madrid and Spanish Football Politics

[04:17–06:20]

• Matt Slater points to Spanish politics and the Real Madrid–Barcelona rivalry.
• Real Madrid's president Florentino Perez, not supportive of the move, wields major influence.
• Players and their union felt left out, particularly over how decisions were made and lack of consultation.
• Together, fan pressure, player protest, and Real Madrid’s lobbying proved too much for organizers.

Quote:
“I think what I underestimated was the importance of Real Madrid and Florentino Perez. If he really doesn’t like something, he can pull levers... with Spanish politicians to make life difficult.” —Matt Slater [05:08]

3. The Power of Protest: Fans and Players

[06:20–10:53]

• Organized fan groups, especially in Spain, opposed the idea; players conducted symbolic 15-second protests before games.
• La Liga attempted to hide these protests from broadcasts, angering players further.
• However, broad public protest (like that seen during the Super League fiasco) was less pronounced.
• The pivotal role played by Real Madrid and their players was underscored.

Quote:
“The players wanted to talk to Tebes about it... They were kind of ignored, really. Tebes just kept putting AFE off, kept saying he wasn’t able to find time in his schedule to meet the players.” —Dermot Corrigan [06:54]

4. Fallout for La Liga and The U.S. Push

[15:32–18:22]

• The financial gain from a single game was not huge; the move was symbolic for larger ambitions.
• La Liga, in partnership with Relevant, wants to match Premier League’s global influence.
• These pushes are, at root, a response to the English Premier League’s dominance, especially in North America.
• It’s not the end of the matter—likely a postponement, not an abandonment.

Quote:
“It wasn’t really about the one game ... that’s why this feels like a postponement. Barca were going to make money, but they were going to make money around the edges.” —Matt Slater [15:54]

5. Serie A’s Overseas Plans and Broader European Context

[20:01–25:31]

• Serie A is attempting a similar move: AC Milan vs Como in Perth, Australia in February; context and challenges discussed by James Horncastle.
• Their justification includes San Siro being unavailable due to the Winter Olympics and substantial payments from Australian organizers.
• Player protests in Italy have been mild; more may come in the wake of the La Liga cancellation.
• The Premiership's financial reach is driving such experiments; domestic leagues struggle to keep up.

Quote:
“Milan have to take a game on the road, so why not take one abroad? ... Western Australia is putting up a minimum fee of 12 million.” —James Horncastle [20:40]

6. UEFA’s Reluctant Role and the Future of Overseas Matches

[26:14–29:06]

• UEFA gave a reluctant green light but reportedly were “quite relieved” when the event was cancelled, wary of legal/political complications.
• The episode reveals UEFA’s evolving commercial partnerships (notably with Relevant), their opposition to the Super League, and the political sensitivity to such moves.
• The legal door seems open for future attempts, especially in the US market.

Quote:
“I think something has changed. People change their minds. I think [UEFA boss] Seferin ... is sort of seeing the bigger picture, that, you know what, maybe the way we’ve been doing it for the last hundred years is the right way, and perhaps we should just leave it alone.” —Matt Slater [27:31]

7. El Clasico, La Liga’s Structure & The Premier League Problem

[31:47–38:24]

• The cancelled Miami game has increased tension between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
• El Clasico remains huge, but both the rivalry and La Liga itself have lost global luster since the heights of the Messi–Ronaldo era.
• Premier League’s “illusion of competitive balance” has eroded La Liga’s broader appeal, with Spanish football now a “two and a half horse race” at the top.
• La Liga’s financial and political realities limit the ambitions of all but the big two.

Quotes:
“It does feel smaller to me, a neutral, than it did, let’s say, a decade ago when the height of Messi versus Ronaldo. Those games were huge.” —Matt Slater [33:09]

“Atletico are happy enough to finish third... if they can finish third, make sure they’re into the Champions League and secure that money for the next season, Simeone’s job is safe for sure.” —Dermot Corrigan [36:34]

“England’s just a bigger country, richer country than Spain. The pay TV in Spain is quite expensive for most people, so a lot of people don’t have it.” —Dermot Corrigan [38:06]

Notable and Memorable Moments

• Matt Slater’s One Direction jokes [03:20–03:56]: Adds lightness to the episode, referencing August optimism about the Miami game (“I wish I knew some One Direction songs ...”).
• Player protest hidden on TV [07:56–08:36]: Dermot Corrigan details symbolic in-game protests that La Liga sought to obscure.
• James Horncastle's Italian perspective [20:20–22:05]: Clear summary of Serie A’s different constraints and the global “game export” trend.
• Reflection on the ‘Super League’ backlash [08:53–10:11]: Matt Slater recounts how fan protests and UK political intervention derailed the Super League—contrasting that with the lack of public passion over the Miami game.

Segment Timestamps

• [01:57] — Episode proper begins: Topic introduction
• [02:32] — Why the Miami game was cancelled
• [04:17] — Real Madrid’s political power and player issues
• [06:20] — Was this a win for fans/players?
• [08:53] — On the power of protest: Super League comparison
• [10:53] — Real Madrid’s influence and final push to block Miami
• [15:32] — What the cancellation means for La Liga and Relevant, US market ambitions
• [20:01] — Serie A: AC Milan vs Como in Perth, possible domino effect
• [22:05] — Why leagues are forced to “think outside the box” to keep up with the Premier League
• [24:03] — Will the same protest pressures cross to Serie A?
• [26:14] — UEFA’s position and reluctance
• [31:47] — Will the cancellation affect El Clasico? Renewal of administrative hostilities
• [33:04] — Is El Clasico still relevant globally?
• [35:37] — The dominance problem in La Liga
• [38:24] — Closing remarks

Summary

In summary, the episode delivers a thorough analysis of why the Barcelona vs Villarreal Miami game, a flagship for La Liga’s global expansion, was cancelled at the last second. The hosts break down the combined force of internal Spanish football politics (especially the Real Madrid–Barcelona divide), the backlash (if muted) from fans and, more crucially, players, administrative oversight by Javier Tebas, and last-minute governmental intervention. They situate this within the broader context of other leagues’ ambitions, especially Serie A’s plans for Australia, and reflect on the existential challenge posed by the Premier League’s unparalleled commercial might.

The conversation is smart, at times playful, and consistently sharp in cutting through the PR spin to reveal what’s really at stake in the global football business—and who actually holds the power.

Key Quotes (Attribution & Timestamps)

• “Even the Barca players... didn’t know about it. Flick was doing his press conference... Complete shock.”
  — Dermot Corrigan [02:32]

• “If [Florentino Pérez] really doesn’t like something, he can pull levers... with Spanish politicians to make life difficult.”
  — Matt Slater [05:08]

• “The players wanted to talk to Tebes about it... They were kind of ignored, really.”
  — Dermot Corrigan [06:54]

• “It wasn’t really about the one game... that’s why this feels like a postponement.”
  — Matt Slater [15:54]

• “Milan have to take a game on the road, so why not take one abroad?... Western Australia is putting up a minimum fee of 12 million.”
  — James Horncastle [20:40]

• “It does feel smaller to me, a neutral, than it did, let’s say, a decade ago ... Those games were huge.”
  — Matt Slater [33:09]

• “England’s just a bigger country, richer country than Spain. The pay TV in Spain is quite expensive...”
  — Dermot Corrigan [38:06]

For listeners seeking a concise but deep understanding of one of the season’s most intriguing off-pitch football stories, this episode is rich with context, insight, and memorable exchanges.