Spanish clubs are considering locations such as Miami as well as other cities worldwide for their matches. For some supporters, this is a different feeling and perhaps even a negative one.
However, the reality is that this to the European football market could be the time that the said towns and cities visited finally access the great teams that were previously far away from them, at least through television sets and radios.
How This Opens Up New Markets
While holding matches abroad, La Liga will be able to cover countries where there is already huge interest but limited access. This has been the case for NFL for so many years. Their teams are sent to London, Germany, and Brazil to face each other during regular season matches.
Each contest contributes approximately 40 million dollars to the economy of the host city and expands the customer base of the respective teams across various continents. In this vein, Spanish clubs can also venture into the same way.
Here’s what this approach does:
- Brings the action to fans who can’t travel to Spain
- Creates strong connections with communities far from Europe
- Shows young athletes across the world what top-tier football looks like
- Builds long-term relationships in markets that have huge potential
Growing Revenue Without Losing Identity
Premier League is the main earner in football, far beyond La Liga. In terms of revenue, Real Madrid is first, but apart from that, only two other Spanish clubs are among the twelve highest earners. This situation is a handicap for Spanish football’s competition with the rest of Europe. Going overseas helps to generate new income from ticket sales, local sponsors, and broadcasting deals.
The club of Barcelona reported that its revenue for the 2024-25 season would be 994 million euros. The main contribution to that figure was the commercial income. The impact of competing in away competitions is such that the providers are only able to tap into large markets where European football has already won millions of fans but not physically present yet.
Rohit Sharma 264 Scorecard Displays What Records Mean Globally
We are talking about global moments and it is hard not to mention the Rohit Sharma 264 scorecard from that Sri Lankan match in 2014. The performance made its way to the world’s news because cricket was there, and no one had to miss it.
The same reasoning applies. When La Liga carries Barcelona or Real Madrid to Miami or other places, they are making those unforgettable experiences for people who would never otherwise see them.
In the same way that cricstrike has been selling cricket content to new viewers, taking football matches overseas is extending the sport’s influence beyond the customary frontiers.
Building Connections With Younger Audiences
The NFL runs youth clinics and training camps when they visit international cities. These programs get local kids involved with the sport and create future fans. La Liga can do the same thing. When teams show up in new places, they don’t just compete a match and leave. They can:
- Host training sessions for youth academies
- Meet with local clubs and share knowledge
- Create partnerships that last beyond one single match
- Give young athletes a chance to learn from professionals
The Pushback Makes Sense But Misses The Point
This idea is disliked by numerous fans and supporter groups. They argue that it loses the home advantage and robs the diehard fans, who pay for a whole season, of their right to see the matches. UEFA authorized the contests but labeled the decision as unfortunate. The concerns are genuine, but they are only concerned with the immediate problems.
Indeed, Villarreal has to forfeit a home match. Local fans are deprived of one contest. However, the larger issue that Spanish football should be able to fight the Premier League in terms of money is visible. The disparity will just get bigger, and the only way to keep it from happening is to take one or two contests abroad every season.
What Success Really Looks Like?
The NFL did not create its international market instantly. They started with a small step of preseason contests in the 1950s. Now in 2025 alone, they are conducting seven regular season contests outside the US. Their joint revenue has increased from 8 billion dollars in 2010 to more than 23 billion dollars now. Part of that growth has been due to their approach of reaching out beyond the American borders.
La Liga is not going to get immediate results either. However, the competing of matches abroad does create long-term value. When there are more fans, it means more sales of merchandise, and the rights for broadcasting will be at higher rates, and more lucrative sponsorship deals. The advantages of this have a compounding effect over time and make Spanish clubs’s presence still significant on the world stage.
Moving Forward Despite The Noise
Barcelona and Villarreal’s match in Miami got canceled after facing too much opposition. La Liga president Javier Tebas said they’ll keep trying because Spanish football needs to look forward, not backward. Serie A is still planning to send AC Milan and Como to Perth, Australia. These leagues understand that staying in one place limits growth.
Football belongs to its fans, but it also belongs to everyone who wants to experience it. Taking matches abroad doesn’t replace local contests. It adds to them. It creates chances for people across the world to see live football and become part of something bigger. That’s what makes this move good for the sport’s future, even when it feels uncomfortable right now.
