Champions Barcelona to host Athletic Club on opening weekend of 2026-27 La Liga season
MADRID: The 2026-27 La Liga season kicks off on Aug. 16 with the opening weekend having champions Barcelona taking on Athletic Club at Camp Nou, Real Madrid hosting Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu and Atletico Madrid welcoming Malaga to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
The Spanish top tier — officially LALIGA EA SPORTS — concludes the weekend of May 30, while the regular season of the second tier LALIGA HYPERMOTION will end on Sunday, June 6. The announcement was made during a recent presentation with the Royal Spanish Football Federation, held in Plaza de Colon in Madrid.
The first El Classico of the season between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF will take place on Matchday 10 in Barcelona during the weekend of Oct. 25, with the return fixture on Matchday 35 in Madrid during the weekend of May 9.
The first Madrid Derby will be played on the weekend of Sept. 20, on Matchday 7, at Atletico de Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano, with the return match on the weekend of April 4, on Matchday 30, at the Santiago Bernabeu.
