La Liga, Spain's top-flight league, kicks off its 2026-27 season on Saturday, August 15, with two matches in the first round. Among them, Atletico Madrid's match against Málaga stands out as the start of a new campaign for the team under Diego Simeone.
First Round Schedule
The first round of La Liga will take place over the following days:
- Saturday, August 15: Alaves vs Getafe (17:30 GMT), Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano (19:30 GMT)
- Sunday, August 16: Racing Santander vs Villarreal (15:00 GMT), Espanyol vs Levante (17:00 GMT), Celta Vigo vs Osasuna (19:30 GMT)
- Monday, August 17: Deportivo vs Elche (19:00 GMT)
- Wednesday, August 19: Atletico Madrid vs Málaga (19:00 GMT)
Absence of Barcelona and Real Madrid
Barcelona and Real Madrid, two of the most prominent teams in La Liga, will not participate in the first matches due to the participation of several of their players in the World Cup. La Liga has rescheduled the matches for both teams to allow the players to recover and for the teams to adjust their plans.
Championship Predictions
According to the Opta supercomputer, Barcelona has a 45.6% chance of winning the championship, followed closely by Real Madrid with a 31% chance. Atletico Madrid, which finished fourth last season, is the third favorite with an 8.6% chance. The teams with the highest probabilities of relegation are Deportivo with a 29.2% chance and Elche with a 28.4% chance.
Summer Transfers
Real Madrid has made several high-profile signings in the summer transfer window, including Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva, and Yan Diomande. Barcelona, on the other hand, has brought in Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi.
To follow the La Liga season, fans can access local TV channels or streaming platforms available on La Liga's official website.
