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Real Madrid, Barcelona Openers Delayed as LaLiga Adjusts Schedule for World Cup

Posted : 14 July 2026

LaLiga has revised its opening fixtures for the 2026-27 season, delaying the first league matches for Real Madrid and Barcelona because several players from both clubs remain involved in the FIFA World Cup semifinals. The changes are intended to provide affected players with additional time to recover before returning to club duty.

As a result, Jose Mourinho's first LaLiga match since returning for a second spell as Real Madrid manager will now be an away fixture against Espanyol on August 22. Madrid's original season opener against Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu has been rescheduled for August 26, meaning the club will play its second-round fixture before its first.

Defending champions Barcelona have also seen their schedule altered. Instead of hosting Athletic Club on the opening weekend, Hansi Flick's side will begin their title defence away to Elche on August 23, with the postponed home clash against Athletic now set for August 27.

While Real Madrid and Barcelona have received extra preparation time, Atletico Madrid's opening match against Malaga has been moved to August 19. The rest of the league campaign will begin as planned on August 15, with Alaves hosting Getafe in the season's first match and Sevilla welcoming Rayo Vallecano later that day.

The revised calendar reflects LaLiga's effort to accommodate clubs most affected by the World Cup, ensuring players involved in the latter stages of the tournament have sufficient time to recover before returning to domestic competition.

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