La Liga

The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known as the Primera División or La Liga, is the top professional association football league in Spain. It is the highest level of the Spanish football league system and is controlled by the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional. Each season, 20 teams compete over 38 matches to become the league champion.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have been the most successful clubs in La Liga's history, winning many titles over the years. Other clubs like Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Real Sociedad have also enjoyed success. La Liga has produced many of the world's best players and has won more UEFA Champions League and other top European trophies than any other league.

La Liga is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world, attracting many fans and players from around the globe. It ranks highly in attendance and revenue among global sports leagues. From 2008 to 2016, it was known as Liga BBVA, then LaLiga Santander until 2023, and since then, it has been called LaLiga EA Sports because of its sponsor, Electronic Arts.

Competition format

The La Liga season runs from August to May. Each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 matches. Teams earn three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned champion.

Promotion and relegation

Teams can move up or down between La Liga and the Segunda División based on their performance. The three teams with the fewest points in La Liga move down to the Segunda División. The top two teams from the Segunda División move up to La Liga, with an extra team joining after some extra matches.

Tie breaker rules

If teams have the same number of points, there are rules to decide who is higher in the rankings. If two teams are tied, their head-to-head matches decide the ranking. If more than two teams are tied, points and goals from matches between those teams are used. If that does not decide it, overall goal difference and total goals scored are considered. If needed, a neutral stadium match decides the winner.

Qualification for European competitions

The top four teams in La Liga qualify for the UEFA Champions League. The fifth-place team and the Copa del Rey winner qualify for the UEFA Europa League. The sixth-place team (or seventh if needed) qualifies for the UEFA Conference League. The number of spots for Spanish teams in these competitions depends on how well Spanish teams have done in European matches in the past five years. As of the end of the 2023–24 season, Spain is ranked second in these rankings.

Main article: UEFA country coefficients

History

Foundation

In April 1928, a director at Arenas de Getxo first suggested having a national league in Spain. After talking about how many teams should join and which ones would, the Spanish Football Federation chose ten teams to start the first Primera División in 1929. Arenas, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Real Unión were picked because they had won the Copa del Rey before. Atlético Madrid, Espanyol and Europa joined as Copa del Rey runners-up, and Racing de Santander got in through a special competition. Only three of these original teams—Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao—have never been dropped from the top league.

1930s: Athletic Bilbao dominate

Although Barcelona won the first Liga, and Real Madrid won their first titles soon after, it was Athletic Bilbao that took the lead early on, winning La Liga several times in the 1930s. They also achieved the biggest win in La Liga history by beating Barcelona 12–1. This famous team, led by coach Fred Pentland, included players like Bata, Guillermo Gorostiza, José Iraragorri, Chirri II and Lafuente. In 1935, Real Betis won their only title so far. The Primera División stopped during the Spanish Civil War.

In 1937, teams from the Republican area of Spain, except the two Madrid clubs, played in the Mediterranean League, with Barcelona winning that title. Many years later, in 2007, Barcelona asked the Spanish Football Federation to recognize that title as an official Liga title, but the decision has not been made yet.

1940s: Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia emerge

When the Primera División started again after the Spanish Civil War, Atlético Aviación (now Atlético Madrid), Valencia, and Barcelona became the strongest teams. Atlético was given a place in the 1939–40 season to replace Real Oviedo, whose ground was damaged during the war. They won their first Liga title that year and kept it the next year. While other clubs lost players because of the war, Atlético got stronger by merging with another team. Valencia’s young players stayed together and became champions, winning three Liga titles in the early 1940s.

Athletic Bilbao was badly affected by the war, as many of its players went to Latin America and did not return. But by finding young talent, they formed a new successful team with players like Rafael Iriondo, Venancio Pérez, José Luis Panizo, Agustín Gaínza and top scorer Telmo Zarra. They won La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo in 1943, and the Cup several more times in the late 1940s. Sevilla had a good period too, finishing second in 1940 and 1942 before winning their only title in 1946.

Meanwhile, Barcelona started to become strong under the famous player and later coach Josep Samitier. He helped Barcelona win their second La Liga title in 1945. Under Samitier and great players like César Rodríguez, Josep Escolà, Estanislau Basora and Mariano Gonzalvo, Barcelona won La Liga several times in the late 1940s. The 1940s were successful for Barcelona, but the 1950s would be even better for them and for Real Madrid.

1950s: Barcelona and Real Madrid Dominate

Although Atlético Madrid won titles in 1950 and 1951, the 1950s were mostly about Barcelona and Real Madrid doing very well.

Barcelona had a great period under coach Ferdinand Daučík, winning La Liga and the Copa Del Rey in 1952 and 1953. In 1952, they won five important trophies in one year, earning the name ‘The Team of the Five Cups.’

In the later 1950s, Barcelona won more La Liga titles under coach Helenio Herrera and star player Luis Suárez.

The 1950s also marked the start of Real Madrid’s strong period. Because of special rules, Real Madrid was able to keep important foreign players like Alfredo Di Stéfano and Ferenc Puskás. These players helped Real Madrid win several La Liga titles in the 1950s.

All together, Barcelona and Real Madrid each won four La Liga titles in the 1950s, with Atlético Madrid winning two and Athletic Bilbao winning one.

1960s–1970s: Real Madrid superiority

Real Madrid were the strongest team in La Liga from 1960 to 1980, winning the title 14 times. They won five La Liga titles in a row from 1961 to 1965. Only Atlético Madrid challenged them during this time, winning La Liga four times between 1966 and 1977. Valencia won their fourth title in 1971, and Johan Cruyff helped Barcelona win in 1974.

1980s: Real Madrid dominate but the Basque Clubs disrupt their monopoly

Real Madrid kept winning La Liga in the 1980s, but teams from the Basque region like Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao also did very well. Real Sociedad won their first La Liga titles in 1981 and 1982. Athletic Bilbao won two in a row in 1983 and 1984. Barcelona won their tenth La Liga title in 1985.

1990s: Barcelona's Dream Team

Johan Cruyff returned to Barcelona as coach in 1988 and built the famous ‘Dream Team.’ He used both international stars and young players from Barcelona’s training center, La Masia. His team won the European Cup in 1992 and four La Liga titles in a row from 1991 to 1994. Cruyff’s success made him one of Barcelona’s best coaches ever.

After Cruyff, Real Madrid won La Liga in 1995, and Atlético Madrid won in 1996. Then Real Madrid won again in 1997. Another Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal, led Barcelona to La Liga titles in 1998 and 1999.

2000s: Real Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia's re-emergence

The 2000s saw Barcelona become very successful again, winning ten La Liga titles. Other teams also won, like Deportivo La Coruña in 2000 and Valencia in 2002 and 2004. Real Madrid won titles in 2001, 2003, 2007 and 2008. Barcelona won in 2005 and 2006.

2010s: Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético

In 2010, Real Madrid got 96 points but Barcelona got 99 and won. Barcelona won again in 2011, but Real Madrid took the title back in 2012 with 100 points—a new record. In 2014, Atlético Madrid broke the pattern and won La Liga for the first time since 1996. Barcelona won several more titles in the late 2010s, and Real Madrid won again in 2020.

2020s: present

Atlético Madrid won the 2021 title. Real Madrid won in 2022, and Barcelona won in 2023. In 2023, La Liga changed its name to LaLiga EA Sports. After terrible floods in Spain in October 2023, matches in the Valencian region were postponed. In 2024 and 2025, La Liga tried to block websites that showed illegal copies of matches, which caused some problems for regular websites and services in Spain.

Clubs

20 teams are playing in the league this season. These teams include the top 17 teams from last season and three new teams that moved up from a lower league. The teams Levante, Elche, and Oviedo joined the league this year.

Stadiums and locations

Seasons in La Liga

Many teams have played in La Liga over the years. Some teams have been there almost every season, while others have joined and left again. Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, and Real Madrid have played in La Liga every single season since it began. Other teams have been in the league for many years, but not all of them are still playing there today.

La Liga clubs in Europe

Main article: Spanish football clubs in international competitions

The Primera División is currently third in the rankings of European leagues based on how well clubs do in European competitions over five years. It is behind England's Premier League and Italy's Serie A, but ahead of Germany's Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid are among the top ten most successful clubs in European football. These three clubs, along with Sevilla and Valencia, are the only Spanish clubs to have won five or more international trophies. During the 2005–06 season, La Liga became the first league to have its clubs win both the Champions League and UEFA Cup. This happened again several times in later years. In 2015, La Liga was the first league to send five teams to the Champions League group stage.

Champions

Main article: List of Spanish football champions

The top league in Spanish football is called La Liga. Many teams have played in this league since it began, and nine different teams have won the championship.

Players

In La Liga in 2020, each team could have five players from outside the European Union, but only three of them could be in the team for any one game.

Players can sometimes change which country they are considered from. For example, if a player does not have European family, they can become a Spanish player after playing in Spain for five years. This can sometimes mean a player has citizenship from three different countries.

Players from certain countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific are not counted towards this limit.

La Liga began giving out special awards to players and coaches in the 2008–09 season. Some of the most famous awards are given by a sports newspaper in Spain. These include awards for the best scorer, the best goalkeeper, the best overall player, and the best Spanish scorer.

La Liga also gives out monthly awards for the best manager and the best player each month.

Player records

Most appearances

See also: List of footballers with 400 or more La Liga appearances

As of 13 May 2026

Boldface indicates a player still active in La Liga. Italics indicates a player still active outside La Liga.

Most goals

See also: List of La Liga top scorers

Boldface indicates a player still active in La Liga. Italics indicates a player still active outside La Liga.

Sponsors

Main Sponsors

• Liga BBVA (2008–2016)
• LaLiga Santander (2016–2023)
• LALIGA EA Sports (2023–2028)