La Liga Postpones Barcelona, Real Madrid Opening Matches

The decision is designed to allow the players sufficient time to rest after the World Cup, La Liga said in a statement.

La Liga decided on Tuesday, July 14, to delay the opening matches of Real Madrid and defending champions FC Barcelona for the upcoming 2026\2027 season, citing the fact that many players from both sides are playing in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.

The decision is designed to allow the players sufficient time to rest after the World Cup, La Liga said in a statement, adding: “The unanimous support of the First and Second Division clubs demonstrates the broad consensus surrounding a proposal that guarantees the stability of the competition.”

The new Primera Division season will officially kick off on August 15, with Alaves hosting Getafe at home and Rayo Vallecano against Sevilla at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

FC Barcelona will start the season against Elche on August 23, while their original first match against Bilbao has been postponed until August 27.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid were supposed to begin their La Liga campaign on August 22 against Real Sociedad; the match is now postponed to August 26.

The season will see Jose Mourinho start his first official match as Real Madrid’s new head coach, marking his second era with Los Blancos, against Espanyol on August 22nd.

Despite also featuring players who have reached the World Cup semifinals, Atlético Madrid will play their opening match according to the original schedule. The club kicks off its season on August 19 against Malaga, who have made their return to La Liga after an eight-year absence.