LaLiga 2026–27 opens on August 15 with Deportivo Alavés v Getafe

On August 15, 2026, Deportivo Alavés will play Getafe CF in the opening match of the LaLiga 2026–27 season in Spain. José Mourinho’s Real Madrid will take on Espanyol and Barcelona will begin their title defence against Elche; both giants are scheduled to start the campaign on a weekday.

LaLiga has placed a number of fixtures involving clubs with World Cup participants into midweek slots. Matches earmarked for the middle of the week from August 19 to 23 include Atlético Madrid’s game against newly promoted Málaga and Valencia versus Celta. Those adjustments were made because players from those teams advanced to the World Cup semifinals or final.

There will be no Christmas football this season: the competition pauses from December 22 to January 2. The calendar also includes international breaks from September 21 to October 6, November 9 to November 17, and March 22 to March 30. These interruptions form part of the 2026–27 schedule.

The fixture between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be played twice in the league, once at the Camp Nou on October 25 and again at the Santiago Bernabéu on May 9. Atlético will host their neighbours and long-time Madrid rivals at the Metropolitano on September 20. Diego Simeone’s side are scheduled to visit the Bernabéu on April 4.

The sides promoted to the Spanish top flight are Racing Santander, Deportivo La Coruña, and Málaga CF. Racing Santander will contest their first LaLiga match since the 2011-12 season, when they were relegated to the second division. Both Málaga and Deportivo La Coruña will make their first LaLiga appearances since the 2017–18 season.

Barcelona won LaLiga last season and will begin their title defence against Elche. The 2026–27 campaign opens on August 15, 2026 with Deportivo Alavés v Getafe CF.