It is possible that the first La Liga matches of the 2026-2027 season will be postponed!
Spain's 2026/27 La Liga opener will adopt an unconventional schedule. AS reports that up to five first-round fixtures are set to be moved back because of player commitments in the World Cup's knockout phase.
An advance pact between the league and its member clubs sanctioned this arrangement. Teams endorsed the August 15 start date provided that sides whose squad members feature deep into the global tournament could reschedule their initial games.
This ensures those footballers receive a minimum three-week break followed by another three weeks for a complete pre-season preparation period. Real Madrid versus Real Sociedad, Barcelona versus Athletic, and Celta versus Osasuna appear certain to be deferred—all those clubs contributed players to Spain's World Cup semifinal run.
Atlético versus Málaga will also occur later. The status of one additional matchup hinges on Argentina's quarterfinal outcome against Switzerland. Should Argentina progress, Valencia versus Betis will likewise be postponed due to Giovani Lo Celso's participation.