European soccer hardly ever takes a break. Less than a month after Spain won the World Cup, La Liga is getting ready to kick off the 2026–27 season.
The Spanish league will be the first of the major European leagues to begin, though it will do so in an unusual way.
The schedule will feature some notable absences right from the start: one match has been postponed, and both Barcelona, the defending champion, and Real Madrid will have to wait until the next matchday to make their debuts due to the delayed return of several of their players who participated in the World Cup.
The new season also kicks off with major changes at several top teams and new technologies that promise to transform the way the game is followed.
Barcelona aims for a third consecutive title
Barcelona will begin the season with a very clear goal: to win its third consecutive La Liga title.
The team coached by Hansi Flick will feature several of the stars who helped Spain win the World Cup, including Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Pedri, and Pau Cubarsí.
Forward Ferran Torres, who scored the goal that gave Spain the victory in extra time of the World Cup final against Argentina, is reportedly on the move to PSG.
To bolster its attack, Barcelona has signed English forward Anthony Gordon, who will be tasked with providing speed and goals following the departure of veteran Robert Lewandowski.
The champions’ season opener is scheduled for August 23, when they visit Elche.
Real Madrid kicks off Mourinho’s project
Real Madrid will also have to wait another week to begin its season. Los Blancos will make their season debut on August 22 against Espanyol, in a season that marks a fresh start under the guidance of José Mourinho. The Portuguese coach returned to the Real Madrid bench after the team went a second consecutive season without winning a major title.
To avoid another disappointing season, the club carried out a major overhaul of its roster.
Among the players remaining are Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham, while the list of new signings includes names such as Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, and Yan Diomande. Notable departures include veteran players such as Dani Carvajal and David Alaba.
The pressure, of course, will be enormous from day one.
Atlético Madrid and the uncertainty surrounding Julián Álvarez
Atlético Madrid will be one of the main protagonists of the opening matchday. Diego Simeone’s team will host newly promoted Málaga, but the match will be overshadowed by a question that has been hanging over the club for weeks: What will happen with Julián Álvarez?
The Argentine forward reached the World Cup final and, during the tournament, expressed his desire to leave Atlético. Real Madrid and Barcelona have shown interest in the forward, although Atlético has made it clear that it has no intention of selling him.
Álvarez has already returned to training, but his future remains one of the major topics of the transfer window.
Simeone will also have to rebuild part of his roster following the departures of Antoine Griezmann, Thiago Almada, Nahuel Molina, and Clément Lenglet. Notable new signings include Alejandro Grimaldo, Morten Hjulmand, and Lee Kang-In, while Cristian “Cuti” Romero is also set to join the team soon.
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Where to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat. Aug. 15 | 1:30 PM | Alavés vs. Getafe | ESPN+, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat. Aug. 15 | 3:30 PM | Sevilla vs. Rayo Vallecano | ESPN+, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun. Aug. 16 | 11:00 AM | Racing vs. Villarreal | ESPN+, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun. Aug. 16 | 1:00 PM | Espanyol vs. Levante | ESPN+, ESPN Deportes |
| Mon. Aug. 17 | 3:00 PM | Deportivo vs. Elche | ESPN+, ESPN Deportes |
The rest of the matchday
The first matchday of La Liga will feature several interesting matches. On Saturday, Alavés will host Getafe, followed by Sevilla taking on Rayo Vallecano. Sunday will be particularly important for Racing Santander, which is returning to the top flight after a 14-year absence. Their debut will be against Villarreal, the team that finished third last season behind Barcelona and Real Madrid. That same day, Levante will visit Espanyol.
The start of the season also had to contend with a rather unusual problem. The match between Celta de Vigo and Osasuna, which was scheduled for Sunday, was postponed due to a fungal outbreak on the field. The match was rescheduled for August 27.
As a result, La Liga will begin with one fewer match than planned—something that rarely happens at the start of a season.
La Liga debuts connected ball technology
One of the season’s major innovations will be technological. La Liga says it will be the first competition in the world to implement “connected ball” technology on a large scale. The ball will be equipped with a radio-frequency sensor capable of transmitting real-time information about its position and the exact moment of each contact. The data will be captured by a network of approximately 12 antennas installed in each stadium.
The technology will provide much more precise information about what happens to the ball during each match and could become an important tool for analysis and decision-making.
Who’s returning to La Liga this season?
The 2026–27 season will also feature three new teams. The teams that earned promotion from the Second Division are Racing de Santander, Málaga, and Deportivo La Coruña.
Particularly noteworthy is the return of Deportivo, a historic Spanish champion that spent eight seasons away from the top flight.
The teams that were relegated last season were Mallorca, Girona, and Real Oviedo.
The European season has already begun
Although La Liga is just about to kick off, European soccer has already played its first official match of the new season. Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup and lifted the trophy for the second consecutive year.
Now it’s Spain’s turn. Barcelona aims to defend its title, Real Madrid seeks to regain prominence under Mourinho, Atlético tries to resolve the future of Julián Álvarez, and the newly promoted teams want to prove they’re here to stay.
Everything is set for a new La Liga season, and with the World Cup having ended just a few weeks ago, it looks like fans won’t have to wait too long to enjoy club football again.
