April 27, 2026
World
World
WASHINGTON, April 27 — A man accused of targeting US administration officials at a Washington event has been arrested after allegedly opening fire, injuring a Secret Service agent.
MADRID, Aug 13 — Real Madrid on Tuesday strongly criticised plans to hold a La Liga match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami, warning it could disrupt football’s competitive balance and pledging to petition global governing bodies to block the move.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Monday approved the December 20 fixture at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, which would mark the first La Liga match played abroad and the first European league game staged in the United States.
“Real Madrid wishes to express to its members, supporters, and football fans in general its firm opposition to the proposal,” the club said in a statement, adding that it has already urged Fifa, Uefa, and Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD) to step in.
The club accused the RFEF of deciding “without informing or consulting the clubs participating in the competition” and argued that playing the match in Miami “violates the essential principle of territorial reciprocity” inherent in home-and-away league formats.
Real Madrid further warned that the move would “distort the competitive balance” and give “an unfair sporting advantage” to the teams involved.
The club cautioned that approving the plan could undermine sporting integrity and “set an unacceptable precedent,” stressing that such a change should only be made with “the express and unanimous agreement of all clubs participating in the competition.”
The proposal still needs approval from Uefa, US Soccer, Concacaf, and ultimately Fifa before La Liga President Javier Tebas can fulfil his long-standing goal of taking Spanish football to the United States. — Reuters
