The 2026-27 La Liga season gets underway this weekend, but Real Madrid will not be involved in the opening round. The Spanish giants will have to wait another week before officially beginning their domestic campaign.
Real Madrid were originally scheduled to host Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu this weekend as part of the first matchday of the new La Liga season. However, the fixture has been postponed and will now be played on Wednesday, August 26, at 9:00 p.m.
As a result, José Mourinho and his players will have a slightly longer preparation period before making their first appearance in the Spanish league this season.
Real Madrid to start on August 22
The Merengues will officially begin their La Liga campaign on Saturday, August 22, when they travel to Barcelona to face Espanyol. Kick-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
The match will count as the second round of the championship, meaning Real Madrid will begin their season away from home rather than at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The postponement of their opening fixture is directly linked to the 2026 World Cup, which took place this summer. Several Real Madrid players went deep into the tournament with their respective national teams, reducing the amount of time available for them to rest before returning to club football.
An agreement between La Liga and the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) stipulated that players involved in the final stages of the World Cup should receive at least 21 days of holiday before being required to resume competitive action.
Real Madrid had five players particularly affected by this measure: Marc Cucurella, Kylian Mbappé, Ibrahima Konaté, Jude Bellingham and Aurélien Tchouaméni. All five reached either the semifinals or the final of the tournament with their national teams.
Giving those players sufficient recovery time was considered essential after an extremely demanding summer and a long season that included both club and international commitments.
Real Madrid are not the only major Spanish club affected by the situation. Atlético Madrid and Barcelona have also benefited from adjustments to their opening schedules due to the number of players who participated in the latter stages of the World Cup.
Real Madrid are training. 🏃 pic.twitter.com/F7B403lst3
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) August 15, 2026
For Mourinho, the postponement provides an additional opportunity to work with his squad before the competitive season begins. Several key players only recently returned to training, while the Portuguese coach is also integrating new signings and preparing his tactical plans for the campaign.
Real Madrid still have one final pre-season test before turning their full attention to La Liga, with the club determined to arrive in the best possible condition for their first competitive fixture.
Their championship journey will therefore officially begin on August 22 against Espanyol in Barcelona, before the postponed home game against Real Sociedad on August 26.
After a busy summer and an extended break for several internationals, Real Madrid will now be hoping that the additional preparation time allows Mourinho’s team to make a strong start to the 2026-27 La Liga season.
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