Miami leads shortlist as 2027 Spanish Super Cup looks beyond Saudi Arabia

Miami has emerged as the leading candidate to host the 2027 Spanish Super Cup, with Istanbul and Qatar also under consideration for the 43rd edition of the competition.

The tournament is expected to take place next February, but a return to Saudi Arabia now appears unlikely because its proposed dates would coincide with the Asian Cup. That scheduling conflict has prompted the Spanish Football Federation to examine alternative venues, with Miami currently regarded as the strongest option.

Istanbul is understood to be the second choice, while Qatar is third on the list of possible hosts. A delegated committee is due to discuss the preferred location on Thursday, when the three options will be assessed before a final decision is made.

The Spanish Super Cup has been staged outside Spain since 2018, with one exception. The 2021 edition was moved to Morocco because of the coronavirus pandemic, before the competition subsequently took place in Saudi Arabia.

Miami has previously been considered as a venue for the women’s Spanish Super Cup. However, Rafael Louzan, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, ruled out that possibility after one of the participating clubs objected to the proposal.

The four teams involved in the 2027 tournament have been informed about the steps being taken over its organisation. They are Barcelona, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Atletico de Madrid.

The competition will retain its four-team format. Real Sociedad will face Real Madrid in one semi-final, with the meeting bringing together the Copa del Rey winners and the league runners-up. The other tie will feature Barcelona against Atletico de Madrid, pairing the league champions with the Copa del Rey runners-up.

The final venue has not yet been confirmed, but Miami is currently ahead of Istanbul and Qatar in the federation’s planning process. The decision is expected to establish where the tournament will be held after Saudi Arabia’s apparent withdrawal from contention because of the clash with the Asian Cup.

The Spanish Super Cup’s decision to continue considering overseas hosts reflects the competition’s established format since 2018. Rather than being played in Spain, the tournament has regularly been taken abroad, with Saudi Arabia becoming its principal destination after the Morocco-held 2021 edition.

For 2027, however, the scheduling issue surrounding the Asian Cup has forced officials to consider a different location. Miami is now the front-runner, although Istanbul and Qatar remain possible alternatives until the committee reaches its conclusion.