Spanish La Liga Season Overview 2025-26

The 2025-26 Spanish La Liga season will begin on August 15 and continue until May 24, 2026. A total of 20 teams will compete in the league, with FC Barcelona defending its title.

It is interesting to note that since the 2018–19 season, no team has managed to defend its title, with Real Madrid, Atlético, or FC Barcelona winning the league in each of the last six years.

As in the English Premier League, teams in Spain do not play a series of matches to remain in the top division. The teams that finish in the bottom three places are immediately relegated to the second division. After last season, Leganes, Las Palmas, and Valladolid were relegated from La Liga and replaced by Levante, Elche, and Oviedo. Oviedo is returning to La Liga after a 24-year hiatus.

Three La Liga clubs changed their head coaches in the summer. Real Madrid said goodbye to Carlo Ancelotti, who became the coach of the Brazilian national team, and the Italian was replaced by Xabi Alonso. Real Sociedad said goodbye to Imanol Alguacil, who Sergio Francisco replaced. Sevilla left Joaquin Caparros, who Matias Almeyda replaced, while Osasuna replaced Vicente Moreno with Italian Alessio Lisci.

Several new managers will also influence La Liga season predictions. Real Madrid’s appointment of Xabi Alonso in place of Carlo Ancelotti has already shifted betting odds across major football bookmakers.

Without a doubt, El Clásico attracts the most attention in the Spanish La Liga championship. Last year, FC Barcelona won all of its matches against Real Madrid, so this year we should see even greater motivation from Real Madrid players. Fans and punters alike will be following closely, as leading football bookmakers already list Real Madrid and Barcelona as favorites. This season’s El Clásico will take place:

• Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona – October 26
• FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid – May 10

The Madrid derby between Real and Atlético will be played on September 28 and March 22. FC Barcelona will face Atlético on January 11 and April 5.

Usually, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid are the biggest spenders in La Liga during the summer transfer window. This year is no different, but financial difficulties have forced Barcelona to make fewer changes. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia was acquired from Espanyol for €25 million, and Marcus Rashford arrived on loan from Manchester United. The club has not made any significant sales either.

The 2025 summer transfer window saw several big-money arrivals from abroad, with Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid leading the way. Below are the most expensive transfers from other leagues to La Liga.

Not all of the major moves involved players coming from abroad — several headline transfers took place within La Liga itself. Here are the most expensive deals between Spanish clubs this summer.

La Liga also saw several key departures in the 2025 summer transfer window, with top talents moving abroad to England, Germany, and beyond. These are the most expensive players who left Spain’s top flight.

The 2025–26 Spanish La Liga season promises excitement both on and off the pitch. With new managers, blockbuster transfers, and El Clásico once again at the heart of the campaign, fans can expect another fierce battle at the top. At the same time, departures and arrivals will reshape squads across the league, making betting markets and La Liga season predictions especially intriguing this year.