La Liga returns this weekend as Mourinho heads back to Real Madrid and Barcelona chase a third straight title
La Liga kicks off its 2026-27 season on Saturday 15 August, with Alaves hosting Getafe at 18:30 BST in the opening match (BBC Sport). The full first round spreads across the weekend of 15-17 August, giving Spanish football an early start on its European neighbours (La Liga).
The headline grabber is in the capital. Jose Mourinho is returning to Real Madrid as manager, 13 years after his first spell at the Bernabeu ended. He inherits a squad that has been rebuilt aggressively: Kylian Mbappe, signed in 2024, is now complemented by four new arrivals — Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva. Vinicius Junior, who had been linked with Arsenal, has agreed fresh terms to stay (BBC Sport).
Across the Clasico divide, Barcelona are favourites to win a third consecutive La Liga title under Hansi Flick. The Catalans have signed Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi to help cover the goal output of Robert Lewandowski, whose departure left a clear gap up front (BBC Sport).
Away from the title race, several clubs carry storylines that reach beyond the table. Valencia will play their final season at the Mestalla, the stadium that has been their home since 1923. Rayo Vallecano, fresh off reaching the UEFA Conference League final, face an off-pitch crisis: the Madrid regional government has stripped them of their licence to host matches at the rented Vallecas stadium because of the dilapidated state of the facilities. Malaga, who climbed back from the third tier, continue to operate under judicial administration — a form of court-supervised financial restructuring — which they entered in 2020 (BBC Sport).
La Liga is not the only show starting up. The Premier League begins on Friday 21 August, with champions Arsenal hosting Coventry City at 20:00 on Sky Sports (Premier League). Nine clubs begin the campaign with a new permanent manager — the highest number ever for an opening weekend (BBC Sport).
Serie A opens on the weekend of 22-23 August and concludes on 29-30 May 2027 (Serie A). The Bundesliga follows on 28 August, with Bayern Munich — holders of their 33rd title — starting at home to VfB Stuttgart (Bundesliga). The Europa League gets underway in September (BBC Sport).
For fans, this season brings a small scheduling relief: four international breaks rather than five, meaning fewer interruptions to club football through the autumn and spring (BBC Sport).
