MADIRD, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish Football League (LaLiga)'s plans to host this season's Liga Santander game between Girona and FC Barcelona in Miami on January 2019 hangs in the balance after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Friday refused to give its permission for the game to be played outside of Spain.
The commitment to play Liga Santander matches in the US is part of a 15-year agreement signed by LaLiga and the US company 'Relevant' in the middle of August.
However the move has met with opposition from the Spanish players' union (AFE) and the RFEF, whose president Luis Rubiales commented last month that his organization had not been consulted before the agreement had been announced.
That opposition didn't stop LaLiga President Javier Tebas saying on September 11th that the Girona v Barcelona game scheduled for January 26th 2019, had been chosen to be the first played outside of Spain.
On Friday, RFEF President Luis Rubiales wrote to both LaLiga and FIFA asking for documents to help clarify "the agreement signed by the organization to stage matches in the United States, of which fundamental aspects remain unknown, such as the obligations entered into and whether the consent of the United States exists... and whether the consent of the clubs and actors involved in the competition exists."
The RFEF worry that playing outside of Spain could affect the "integrity and general sporting principles" of the competition and add that "changing the match venue could affect season-ticket holders' rights and audiovisual rights."
The letter says playing in Miami "could have an influence on the conditions of fairness that must be upheld at all times" and that "other clubs could benefit or be left at a disadvantage by this circumstance."
