1 Jul 2026 01:54

Barcelona open La Liga 2026-27 at home against Athletic Club

The official La Liga 2026-27 calendar has been released, and it lined up a busy opener for the reigning champions: Barcelona host Athletic Club at the Camp Nou in the first round, with matches scheduled for the weekend of 15 and 16 August. Teams with players in the World Cup final may have their fixture postponed to the 25-27 window of the same month.

The quest for a third straight title starts at home

Hansi Flick arrives at his third consecutive season in charge of Barça buoyed by two straight La Liga titles. Now the goal is the hat-trick. The mission begins the hard way: Athletic Club are historically an awkward opponent, and they come into the clash already under new management. Eden Terzic has taken over the Bilbao club in place of Ernesto Valverde, adding an element of unpredictability to the duel.

The rest of the first-round fixtures also promise plenty. Atlético de Madrid host newly promoted Málaga on their opening day, while clashes such as Espanyol v Levante and Sevilla v Rayo round out a well-balanced opening programme.

The Clásicos already have their dates

Anyone looking beyond the opener can already mark their diary: the season’s first El Clásico is scheduled for the weekend of 25 October, with Barcelona hosting at the Camp Nou. The second meeting between the historic rivals is set for the 35th round, likely the weekend of 9 May 2027, this time at the Santiago Bernabéu. Two games that, as usual, could decide who lifts the trophy at the end of the year.