Spanish football in Hong Kong? La Liga boss calls the city ‘perfect’ stage

La Liga president Javier Tebas has defended the league's plan to host regular-season matches abroad, despite opposition from European fan groups. Tebas stated that overseas fans "have a right to see the matches" and described the controversy as an unnecessary "kerfuffle."

Barcelona and Villarreal are scheduled to play a league game in Miami in December, pending approval from UEFA, FIFA, and US Soccer. Fan groups have petitioned these governing bodies to reject the proposal, but Tebas emphasized the league's intention to make such games a recurring feature every season.

Tebas identified Hong Kong as a "perfect" future location for La Liga matches, indicating a strategic expansion beyond the initial U.S. venture. He compared the initiative to a marathon, stating they are only at "kilometre four," with plans to explore additional global destinations and involve various teams.

While supporting the overall concept, Tebas acknowledged that moving high-profile fixtures like El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona would be "too complicated." The motivation behind the international games is to broaden the competition's supporter base and revenue streams.