Everything You Need To Know About The 2025-26 La Liga Season

BARCELONA, SPAIN – MAY 18: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona lifts the La Liga EA Sports title trophy following the La Liga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on May 18, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

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La Liga returns on Friday, August 15th. The Spanish league kicks-off with an enticing doubleheader. At 1:00 PM ET (6:00 PM GMT), Girona hosts Madrid club Rayo Vallecano, before newly promoted Real Oviedo crosses the country to take on Villarreal at 3:30 PM ET (8:30 PM GMT).

Defending champions FC Barcelona plays its first match Saturday, August 16th against RCD Mallorca and ESPN will be on-site to cover the match live for U.S. viewers with Argentina Men’s National Team head coach Lionel Scaloni as a special guest.

Barça will be looking to collect a 29th La Liga trophy, while Kylian Mbappe will be hoping to claim his first La Liga title with Real Madrid. Cholo Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid is the other likely title contender, but it will take serious improvement to knock off Hansi Flick’s men.

Athletic Club, Villarreal, Real Sociedad, Sevilla, and Real Betis will all be pushing for European places, while Real Oviedo, Elche, and Levante will be hoping to avoid going back down to Spain’s second division.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the 2025-26 La Liga season.

Where to Watch La Liga in the U.S.

Every single La Liga match is available in English and Spanish on ESPN+.

Last season was La Liga’s most successful on ESPN with 5.4 billion minutes watched. ESPN even aired El Clasico on linear TV for the first time, and there is a chance this could happen again this season, but every game will remain available to fans on ESPN’s direct-to-consumer and over-the-top streaming services.

Additional La Liga content, like Martin Ainstein’s “Bicycle Diaries” can also be found on ESPN+ and ESPNFC.com.

Signings

Xabi Alonso, Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen

Real Madrid always considers itself a title contender, and this season is no different.

Club president Florentino Perez splashed the cash this summer, overhauling Madrid’s backline and coaching staff. Ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, Perez brought in Xabi Alonso to replace Carlo Ancelotti as head coach and bolstered the defense, signing Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool and Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. Madrid has since brought in left-back Alvaro Carreras from Benfica, and has promoted Raul Asencio and free-scoring Gonzalo Garcia from the academy.

Former Real Madrid and Liverpool winger Steve McManaman spoke to U.S.-based media at an ESPN-organized media lunch ahead of the La Liga season. “I hope he has the power to implement whatever he wants to do, because normally that has been an issue in the past,” McManaman said of Alonso’s appointment. Alonso coached six games at the FIFA Club World Cup, but McManaman said he hadn’t yet noticed a huge amount of change in the team’s set-up. “He’s tried a few different formations out, as you probably saw at the Club World Cup, but whether he’ll play three at the back for Real Madrid when La Liga starts will be the big question.”

England fans will be keen to see how Alexander-Arnold fares under the bright lights at Real Madrid. The right-back is known for his attacking qualities, and should suit Madrid’s aggressive style in possession, although doubts remain about his defensive qualities. McManaman expects the Liverpool native to settle in quickly, largely because he is “very close friends with Jude Bellingham,” but noted that “he needs to learn the language as soon as possible.”

Premier League fans will also have a keen eye on Huijsen, who was a standout performer for Bournemouth last season and is now a regular in the Spanish national team. Huijsen will be expected to pick a pass and marshal the defense alongside Antonio Rüdiger as his teammates maraud forward.

Perez is convinced that the three defenders and his new coach will add the dynamism and solidity Madrid lacked last season. But Alonso will need to extract the best from Vinny, Mbappe, and Bellingham to overcome Flick’s Barça.

Rashford and Joan Garcia

Barça played beautiful free-flowing soccer under Flick last season, perhaps the best Blaugrana fans have seen since the Luis Enrique days. So it’s no surprise that it has been a quiet summer in Catalonia — especially considering Barça’s well-documented financial struggles.

Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford has come in on loan to provide competition for Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Ferrán Torres. Barça also cheekily plucked goalkeeper Joan García from crosstown rivals RCD Espanyol. García will likely be the club’s number one goalkeeper since club captain Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is out with a long-term injury. Ter Stegen is also at odds with Flick and the club hierarchy over his recovery.

Rashford’s place in the team is unclear. “Where’s he going to fit in?” asked McManaman. Given the form of Yamal, Raphinha, and Lewandowski, it is hard to see him getting into the starting eleven. McManaman stressed, “It’s certainly important that he hits the ground running,” but noted it was “an incredible move for him.”

McManaman is more concerned about Barça’s defensive depth. The Catalans recently allowed center-back Iñigo Martinez to leave the club for Saudi Arabia, and although the club still has four top-level central defenders in Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, and Jules Kounde, any injuries could pose a problem for Hansi Flick. “If anything, when you look at Barcelona’s team, they need a couple of more defenders,” said McManaman.

The biggest news of the summer was the club’s failure to sign either Nico Williams or Luiz Díaz. The latter made a big money move to FC Bayern Munich, while Williams remained at Athletic Club after Barça could not provide assurances around his registration. The failure to sign Williams may have gone down poorly with romantics who wanted to see him reunited with Lamine Yamal, but McManaman said that Williams would have wanted to play every single game, something that may not have happened given Barça’s already potent attacking trio.

Other key additions

Atlético de Madrid has reinforced its squad, bringing in three midfielders: playmaker Alex Baena from Villarreal, Argentinian attacking midfielder Thiago Almada from Botafogo, and U.S. native Johnny Cardoso. Baena and Almada will be expected to add creativity, firepower, and grit to a side that already has plenty. The addition of two young attacking players who can help Atleti dominate games and find the final pass or shot should encourage Atleti to push forward, but McManaman remains unconvinced about Los Colchoneros’ title credentials. “I wonder whether they’ll be able to sustain it. They were top of the league at the mid-season break last year at Christmas, and then they fell off like a cliff.”

Cardoso, meanwhile, will add an American presence to Simeone’s squad, but he will have to fight for his place in a very competitive team that is aiming for silverware.

Villarreal has replaced Baena with the much more defensive Thomas Partey. The Ghanaian international, formerly of Arsenal and Atleti, is a controversial signing. While nobody questions his qualities as a holding midfielder, Partey was recently charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault for actions committed between 2021 and 2022.

Partey denies the allegations, but his signing has sparked backlash from Villarreal fans on social media.

Elsewhere, Portuguese winger Gonçalo Guedes has returned to La Liga, trading Wolverhampton for San Sebastian outfit Real Sociedad. Arturo Valles has finally found a way out of Las Palmas. The talented keeper has signed with Real Betis. Fellow keeper Julen Agirrezabala has swapped Bilbao for Valencia, where he will mind the net in the wake of Giorgi Mamardashvili’s departure to Liverpool. Canadian Tajon Buchanan has also bolstered Villarreal, signing on loan from Inter Milan, and La Liga fans once again get to see the pace and trickery of Bryan Zaragoza, who has gone on loan to Celta de Vigo from Bayern Munich.

Departures

The 2025-26 La Liga season will be the first since 2011-12 without Luka Modric. The Croatian maestro has exchanged the white of Real Madrid for the black and red of AC Milan. Fans of La Liga will miss his magical touches, exquisite through balls, and occasional long-distance strikes. Real Madrid, meanwhile, will need to find a substitute for Modric’s creativity. Alonso seems to be pinning his hopes on Turkish talent Arda Guler.

Another Real, Real Sociedad, will also have to contend with the departure of a key midfielder. Martin Zubimendi, who had been the subject of transfer rumors for two seasons, finally swapped San Sebastian for North London, where he will be playing for Arsenal under fellow Basque Mikel Arteta.

Zubimendi is the prototype modern holding midfielder, with a quick eye for a pass and an excellent ability to control the tempo of a game. The likes of Beñat Turrientes, Sergio Gomez, Jon Gorrotxategi, and Luka Sucic will be expected to fill his shoes in one way or another.

Atlético de Madrid has been the club with the biggest revolving door this summer. Baena, Almada, Cardoso, Giacomo Raspadori have all signed with Los Colchoneros, but Simeone has also waved goodbye to Rodrigo de Paul, Saúl Ñíguez, Angel Correa, and Samuel Lino. Saúl had been a bit-part player in the last few seasons, being loaned out to Chelsea and Sevilla, but the others were key contributors to the squad. Simeone will have to find ways to replace De Paul’s feistiness in midfield, Lino’s strong wing play, and Correa’s tenacity off the bench.

Barça Remains the Favorite

Coming off a superb season, which saw it win a league and cup double, and narrowly miss out on a place in the UEFA Champions League final, Barcelona supporters will feel their club is the favorite to once again lift the La Liga trophy.

The Blaugrana have been the most consistent club in La Liga since the turn of the century, winning the league twelve times. With his squad almost identical to last season and his players rested (Barça did not compete in the FIFA Club World Cup), Hansi Flick should be approaching the season positively.

Barça’s greatest challenges will be overcoming the two Madrid sides, avoiding injuries, and ensuring that all off-field drama (predominantly the club’s precarious financial situation) remains far away from the first team — something the club has been successful with in the past.

Barça’s starting eleven remains incredibly strong, but an injury in the backline, to Lewandowski, or to key players Pedri or Frenkie de Jong, could hamper the team’s ability to impose its ball-dominant possession style.

The Madrid Clubs

As previously mentioned, Real Madrid has redoubled its efforts to overcome its archrival Barcelona. Last summer was the summer of Mbappe, but the Frenchman’s first season, although individually prolific, failed to deliver trophies.

With Xabi Alonso now steering the ship, Los Merengues expect free-flowing soccer and trophies. Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the club’s new starting right back, Alvaro Carreras will fight with Ferland Mendy and Fran García over the left-back position, but the midfield and forward line are where the questions truly remain. Can Vinny and Mbappe play together? Can Madrid overcome the losses of Modric and Kroos in successive years? And will the midfield stay fit enough to help the club compete in all competitions?

Last season, Madrid lost every Clásico, but McManaman says this season, “I think they will do battle with them, no problem.” However, he is wary that the club has not adequately replaced Toni Kroos or Luka Modric, their two midfield linchpins for over a decade. Blancos fans should also remember, star midfielder Jude Bellignham will miss the first several weeks of the season after being operated on for a nagging shoulder injury.

For McManaman, the key will be implementing a defensive system and mentality that helps Los Blancos compete better in the biggest matches. “I thought the huge problem last year was in the defensive areas.”

Atlético de Madrid is always up for a fight. That’s the Cholo Simeone way. But after several seasons without a trophy, Simeone’s revamped side will be expected to deliver more than just Champions League qualification.

After leaving Atleti, Saúl told Madrid-based radio station Cadena COPE, “Last year, they spent 200 million. This year they’ve spent 200 million. They can’t use the excuse of ‘Saul earns too much’ anymore. Now they’re spending just as much as other clubs. It’s time to compete for everything.”

Simeone’s men are battle-hardened and should be ready for another test. With a good mix of youth, like 22-year-old Pablo Barrios, and experience, like 34-year-old striker Antoine Griezmann, the club should be ready for another title challenge. But doubts linger over Simeone’s ability to adapt his style to more attacking players.

Key Games

La Liga returns on August 15th, with the last game of Matchday 1, Real Madrid v Osasuna, on Tuesday, August 19th. During Matchday 1, Mallorca will host Barça, Athletic Club will take on Sevilla, and Atlético de Madrid will face Espanyol.

Here are some other key matches throughout the season.

Matchday 2

Sunday, August 24 at 3:30 PM ET (8:30 PM GMT)

Real Oviedo v Real Madrid

This is Real Oviedo’s first home match in La Liga in over 30 years, and it will see legend Santi Cazorla captain his hometown club against the mighty Real Madrid.

Matchday 7

Sunday, September 28th

Madrid Derby

Atlético de Madrid v Real Madrid

Simeone’s men will host Los Merengues in the first Madrid Derby of the 2025-26 La Liga season.

Matchday 10

Sunday, October 26th

El Clásico

Real Madrid v Barcelona

Xabi Alonso’s first Clásico as Real Madrid head coach will be at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid lost every Clásico last season and will be looking for revenge.

Matchday 11

Sunday, November 2

Basque Derby

Real Sociedad v Athletic Club

Los Txuriurdin will host Los Leones in the first Basque Derby of the season. The match between blue and white and red and white is one of the friendliest derbies in Europe.

Matchday 14

El Gran Derbi

Sunday, November 30

Sevilla FC v Real Betis

Sevilla hosts Betis in late November in Spain’s most atmospheric derby. The two Seville sides have a strong disdain for each other, and tempers often flare when Sevilla plays Betis.

Matchday 15

Sunday, December 7, Puente de Diciembre

Athletic Club v Atlético de Madrid

Real Betis v FC Barcelona

On the traditional holiday weekend marking Spain’s Constitution Day and the Immaculate Conception, Athletic Club will host Atlético de Madrid in a tasty clash that could help decide the title race. Elsewhere, Real Betis will host Barça in what is always an entertaining battle of attacking soccer.

Matchday 18

Sunday, January 4, 2026

Catalán Derby

Espanyol vs FC Barcelona

In recent seasons, these matches have been rather one-sided, but Espanyol fans always get excited by the prospect of beating Barcelona.

Matchday 19

Sunday, January 11, 2026

FC Barcelona v Atlético de Madrid

Athletic Club v Real Madrid

Not derbies, but rivalries nonetheless. Barça will host Atleti in an important title clash and Real Madrid will travel to Bilbao — no fanbase detests Los Blancos quite like the fans at San Mamés.

Matchday 22

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Athletic Club v Real Sociedad

The Basque Derby will be the first major derby of the new year. Athletic Club will host Real Sociedad at San Sebastián.

Matchday 26

El Gran Derbi

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Real Betis v Sevilla FC

Real Betis will have its chance to host Sevilla in early March in what promises to be a fantastic atmosphere.

Matchday 35

May 9 or 10, 2026

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid

With just three matchdays to go after it, the second Clásico of the season could be league-defining. This will also be the first Clásico in the renovated Camp Nou. Expect a tantalizing atmosphere, and if the league table is tight, 105,000 Cule fans could just make the difference.

Matchday 38

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Villarreal v Atlético de Madrid

Valencia CF v FC Barcelona

Real Madrid v Athletic Club

La Liga concludes in late May with three massive games. Villarreal, which will surely be looking to secure a European position, will host Atleti. Valencia, a wild card in recent seasons, will host Barça, and Real Madrid will conclude its season at the Santiago Bernabeu against Athletic Club. The title could switch hands on the final day if the soccer gods have their way.

Barça’s return to the Camp Nou

Matchday 4

September 14th

FC Barcelona v Valencia CF

FC Barcelona is slated to return to a renovated Camp Nou on Matchday 4, for its September 14th game against Valencia. The Catalan giants have been playing at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on Montjuic for the past two seasons while the Camp Nou has been under construction.

The Blaugrana’s return to the Camp Nou is behind schedule. Speaking to club executives in 2023, ahead of the first Clásico at Montjuic, I was told a partial return to the Camp Nou was expected by the end of 2024. Similar to rivals Real Madrid, Barça expected to play in the stadium as the final refurbishments were being done.

While the return to the stadium has been delayed, the club expects the renovation to be a much-needed financial boon. With an increased capacity to 105,000 spectators and an expansion of VIP seating, the Camp Nou should be one of the most desirable places in the world to watch soccer.

Barça president Joan Laporta recently said, “We are doing everything possible to return to the Spotify Camp Nou. We are working hand in hand with the city council. We want to return as soon as possible.”

Barça may need to begin the season playing at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, a 6,000-seater venue located inside their training ground on the outskirts of the city. The club recently played the Joan Gamper Trophy preseason friendly against Como FC there. If the Camp Nou is not ready in time, Barca will need to open the season at the Cruyff Stadium because the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic will be used for a Post Malone concert on the 12th of September.

A Game in the U.S.

Matchday 17

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Villarreal v FC Barcelona in Miami

As in previous seasons, reports continue to surface that La Liga is looking to play one game in the U.S. None of Europe’s top five leagues have ever played a competitive league match outside of their home countries, but the Matchday 17 fixture between Villarreal v FC Barcelona could be the first.

Villarreal is willing to sacrifice its home match to play the fixture some 4,452 miles (7,165 km) away in Miami. If approved, the match would go ahead at the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium. Per reports in Marca, Villarreal president Fernando Roig has offered to pay the travel and ticket fee for any Villarreal club member who wants to attend the match. Roig added that any fan who did not want to or could not travel would have 20% of their season ticket refunded.

As reported in The Athletic, La Liga and the clubs involved have already agreed to play the match in Miami, and the request has been approved by the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF). Now, the RFEF must submit a request to UEFA and then FIFA to sanction the venue change.

The decision to play the match abroad continues to be the subject of great controversy. La Liga and its clubs see it as a way to gain a greater foothold in the U.S. and compete with the Premier League for a global audience and revenue; however, fans of La Liga clubs feel they are being robbed of their ability to attend an already limited number of home games each season.

The Federación de Accionistas y Socios del Fútbol Español (FASFE), who represent Spanish soccer fans, recently stated, “La Liga continues to be determined to rob its competition from Spanish fans. The RFEF, whose duty is to safeguard our soccer, must not cooperate.” McManaman, meanwhile, says, “I’ve got no problem with it at all. I understand why they want to do it.”

The Promoted Teams

Levante, Elche, and Real Oviedo have returned to La Liga, replacing the relegated Leganés, Las Palmas, and Real Valladolid.

Levante

Levante won the second division last season and were the first team to be promoted, after a three-year absence from Spain’s top division. Elche finished second in La Liga Hypermotion and was the second team to be promoted. Santi Cazorla’s Real Oviedo scraped through the promotion play-off, overcoming Mirandes 3-2 on aggregate, to return to La Liga for the first time in twenty-four years.

José Luis Morales, affectionately known by Levante fans as “El Comandante Morales,” is the club’s captain and center-forward. He will lead the line and provide Los Granotes (The Frogs) with their best chance of survival in the top flight. At age 38, he is still the emotional heartbeat of the team, with nearly 350 appearances for the club over two spells.

Elche

Elche, Los Franjiverdes (The Green Stripes) is coached by Eder Sarabia, Quique Setien’s former assistant, who helped him at Las Palmas, Betis, and Barca, before coaching Andorra for three seasons. Sarabia is placing his trust in veteran players who are more acquainted with Spain’s second division than its top flight. Expect Elche to battle, but struggle to escape relegation.

Real Oviedo

Real Ovideo’s return to La Liga is the most unexpected of the three promoted clubs. Just over a decade ago, the club’s financial situation was so precarious that it called for supporters to buy shares and rescue it from bankruptcy. Juan Mata, Michu, Adrian López, and current captain and star Santi Cazorla, age 40, all helped the club avoid the worst. The club has since climbed the divisions and is back in La Liga, drawing lots of attention thanks to Cazorla, who remains as silky as ever years after leaving Arsenal in 2018. Oviedo is calling on another veteran this season, former West Brom and Newcastle striker Salomon Rondón, age 35, to help knock in the goals.

Interestingly, former Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers player Quinton Fortune is part of Oviedo’s coaching staff alongside former Portuguese defender Nuno Gomes Bentes and head coach Veljko Paunovic.