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SportsLa Liga delays opening matchday for Real Madrid, others due to World Cup semifinalists
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La Liga's opening matchday on August 15, 2026, will see at least one postponed fixture: Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad, as Real Madrid has at least one player (Brahim for Morocco, or Mbappé, Tchouaméni, Konaté for France) reaching the World Cup semifinals. League president Javier Tebas confirmed that teams with players in the semifinals or final will have their first match postponed to ensure three weeks of rest. Real Madrid-Real Sociedad is rescheduled for August 26-27. Other matches at risk include Barcelona vs. Athletic Club, Atlético Madrid vs. Málaga, and Celta Vigo vs. Osasuna, depending on Spain's progress. However, most league matches will proceed as scheduled, as Tebas noted it is impractical to delay games for teams whose players were eliminated early.
Source report
Updated: 05/07/2026 - 14:44 CEST
Key Development
The first matchday of La Liga, scheduled to begin on August 15, will see at least one fixture postponed: Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad. The delay is due to Real Madrid having at least one player competing in the World Cup semifinals.
Players Involved
Either Brahim (Morocco) or Mbappé, Tchouaméni, and Konaté (France) are expected to reach the final stages of the tournament. La Liga's priority is to ensure those players receive the mandated three weeks of rest.
Official Stance
The league's official calendar, approved this week, highlighted the need for postponements "if there is a significant number of players in the World Cup semifinals or final."
However, La Liga president Javier Tebas clarified in June that even a single player would trigger a delay. Speaking in response to Borja Iglesias and Celta, Tebas stated:
"On the first day of the first matchday, those teams that have had players—we'll see the number—in semifinals or finals of those competitions, in this case the World Cup, would play the last week during the week. The rest of the teams would play."
Confirmed and At-Risk Fixtures
- Confirmed postponed: Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad — moved to August 26–27
- At risk (if Spain reaches the semifinals):
- Barcelona vs. Athletic Club
- Atlético Madrid vs. Málaga
- Celta vs. Osasuna
Tebas also noted that other clubs with players in the opposite bracket—such as Brazil, England, Argentina, and Norway—could also be affected.
Matches Proceeding as Scheduled
The majority of league fixtures will go ahead on their original dates. Tebas explained:
"It doesn't make sense for teams whose players were eliminated in the group stage not to start on August 14 because a rule would be fulfilled that we'll see if it's established: 21 days of vacation, 21 days of preseason for those teams with those players."
Related Links
- World Cup
- World Cup Results
- World Cup Schedule
- First Division
- Second Division
- National Team
- 2026 World Cup Final Bracket
- World Cup Scorers
- Quarterfinal Bracket
- Spain World Cup
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Source
LALIGA EA Sports // marcaWestern
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La Liga Opening Match Postponed Due to World Cup Semifinalists