Three months ago, it appeared La Liga and Relevent Sports would be bringing one of the biggest soccer events in South Florida history to Hard Rock Stadium in January. But today, FC Barcelona announced it would not be participating in a game with Girona FC next month, dealing a significant blow to the league’s hopes of playing outside Spain.
According to L’Esportiu de Catalunya, a prominent sports newspaper based in Spain’s Catalonia region, Barcelona and Girona will contest the first LaLiga North America match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on the weekend of Jan. 26 and 27.
While the plans have not yet confirmed by the clubs or the league, both Barcelona and Girona are based in Catalonia.