LaLiga 2026-27 kicks off on 15 August, a week ahead of its big rivals
The World Cup is over. For some, the disappointment of the final still lingers. Others are still basking in the glory. Either way, the club football calendar waits for no one. Argentina is digesting a runner-up finish under Lionel Scaloni, while Spain celebrates a second star won under Luis de la Fuente. Meanwhile, Europe’s leading leagues are already gearing up for the restart. And each of them now has firm dates.
Spain gets there first
Among the continent’s five big leagues, the Spanish championship kicks off first. LaLiga begins on Saturday, 15 August, with Alavés against Getafe. Getafe surprised everyone last season by securing a Conference League place. There is also a nice subplot here. Deportivo La Coruña, the club where Scaloni shone as a player, returns to the top flight after years away.
Barcelona, the reigning champions, only take the field in round two. They travel to Elche on Sunday the 23rd. Five days later, they host Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou in quite a reunion of world champions. On one side stand Ferrán Torres, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi and Dani Olmo. On the other, Unai Simón, Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams. Real Madrid, meanwhile, open away at Espanyol on Saturday the 22nd. They then host Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu. The clásico between the two giants, however, will not come until 25 October, in the tenth round.
Diego Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid start at home against Málaga on Wednesday the 19th. The future of Julián Álvarez in the squad remains unresolved. Los Colchoneros want to improve on last season’s fourth place. That finish earned a Champions League spot, yet it left the club well off the pace of its two historic rivals.
England, France and Germany follow
A week after Spain, on 21 August, the Premier League and Ligue 1 begin. In England, Arsenal host newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates. The Gunners are reigning champions and were losing finalists in the last Champions League. The following weekend brings two eye-catching fixtures, thanks to their Argentine presence. Brighton face Aston Villa, and Newcastle meet Liverpool. Those matches should feature Emiliano Martínez, Emiliano Buendía and Alexis Mac Allister.
In France, the opening honours go to Valentín Barco’s Racing de Strasbourg, who face Olympique de Marseille. The next day, Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain take on Rennes. The back-to-back European champions already have a third straight Champions League title on their minds.
The Bundesliga is the last to get under way, on 28 August, with Bayern Munich hosting Stuttgart. Before that, though, comes the German Super Cup. On Saturday the 22nd, Bayern themselves lock horns with Borussia Dortmund, their biggest nuisance in recent years.
Domestic cups and European competitions
Even before the leagues start, the domestic cups are already busy. The English League Cup opens with its preliminary round on 1 and 3 August. Then Wolverhampton face fourth-tier Port Vale on the 7th. In Italy, the Coppa Italia begins on 14 August, with Monza hosting Serie B side Avellino. In Germany, the national cup starts on the 21st, with Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart in action.
On the European stage, the Champions League begins its league phase in September, with PSG chasing a third consecutive crown. The Europa League gets going on 16 and 17 September. The Conference League, however, is the most advanced of all. Its league phase only starts on 15 October, but the qualifying rounds have been running since July.
