The 2026-27 La Liga season kicks off this weekend, but defending champions Barcelona, along with Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, will not be playing. These clubs, along with Real Betis and Celta Vigo, were granted extended breaks due to their players' participation in the FIFA World Cup semifinals or beyond. Seven Spanish sides had representation in the World Cup semifinals.

While Atlético's delay is minimal, Barcelona and Real Madrid begin their campaigns on Matchday 2, facing Elche and Espanyol respectively, before playing their postponed Matchday 1 fixtures midweek. This scheduling impacts global marketing efforts, making it harder to generate excitement without the league's biggest stars like Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé.

The article also previews other storylines, including Villarreal's potential top-four challenge under new coach Iñigo Pérez, the struggles of Valencia and Sevilla, and Rayo Vallecano's uncertain home situation. Real Sociedad's coach, Pellegrino Matarazzo, aims to rebound after a trophy-winning season.