Calendar draw revealed: 7 essential insights into LaLiga 25/26

On July 1, 2025, the official calendar draw for the 2025/26 LaLiga EA Sports season was held in the town of San Juan de la Nava (Ávila). This annual event is one of the most anticipated by clubs, players, coaches, and fans, as it defines the dates and matchups that will set the competitive rhythm of one of the most important football leagues in the world over the coming months.

The LaLiga calendar is more than just a list of matches. It is the structure that organizes the entire competition, from the start to the end of the season, indicating when key matches will be played, establishing breaks, and scheduling moments of high demand such as the clásicos and derbies. It is, in short, the roadmap that guides all actors of Spanish football.

Although this calendar is mainly aimed at professional football, it is also of interest to training academies like SIA Academy, which prepare young talents with professional aspirations. For these academies, knowing the official calendar helps players have a clear context of the world in which they aspire to develop, although it does not directly change their daily training routine.

1. Start and end of the season: the temporal framework

The 25/26 season will start on August 17, 2025, and conclude on May 24, 2026, covering a period close to ten months. This time frame is fundamental for clubs and players, as it establishes the complete competitive cycle, from preseason to the end of the tournament.

For players in training, becoming familiar with these dates is important because it helps them understand the usual calendar of professional football. At SIA Academy, although the professional calendar does not condition daily sessions, it is considered useful for players to know this framework so that their mental and physical preparation aligns with the reality they will face if they reach the elite.

2. The clásicos: dates and significance

The matches between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the famous “Clásicos,” are undoubtedly the most anticipated games on the calendar. For the 2025/26 season, the first Clásico will be played on October 26, 2025, at the Santiago Bernabéu, while the second will be on May 10, 2026, at the Spotify Camp Nou.

These matches are much more than just sporting encounters. They represent the highest rivalry in Spanish and global football, with enormous emotional, media, and sporting weight. For young footballers, knowing these dates and the importance of these games is inspiring and serves as a reference for the maximum level they can aspire to.

3. Regional derbies: historic rivalries

In addition to the clásicos, the season includes several regional derbies that attract attention for their history and competitiveness. Some of the most notable are:

• Atlético de Madrid vs. Real Madrid: September 28 and March 22.
• Sevilla FC vs. Real Betis: November 30 and March 1.
• Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Club: November 2 and February 1.
• Espanyol vs. FC Barcelona: January 4 and April 12.
• Valencia CF vs. Levante UD: November 23 and February 15.

These matches stand out for their high intensity and the passion they generate in their respective fanbases, factors that increase the demand on players. Therefore, although young players at academies like SIA Academy do not play these matches, understanding their importance is part of the learning process in the sport.

4. Asymmetrical calendar: a constant challenge

A particular feature of LaLiga is that the calendar is asymmetrical: the home and away matches between two teams are not played on equivalent rounds. This means that team conditions, motivation, physical state, or even standings may be very different between the two games.

This detail may seem technical, but it is a factor that professional teams must carefully manage. For players in training, knowing this particularity helps to understand the complexity and dynamics of professional football beyond just playing 38 rounds.

5. International breaks and midweek rounds

The season includes four FIFA international breaks for national team commitments, as well as three midweek rounds that increase the match load.

During these periods, professional clubs adjust their planning to recover players or prepare matches with little rest time. For academies like SIA Academy, the professional calendar serves as a reference so that young players know about these breaks and understand that professional football has a rhythm that includes moments of maximum load and others of rest.

6. Key dates as motivational elements

Knowing when the most important matches, like clásicos and derbies, are played can be a source of motivation for players in training. These moments mark the pace of the season and are games where the highest level of Spanish football is shown.

Therefore, although the academy’s daily routine is not modified, knowing these dates helps players visualize the level they aspire to and understand the importance of constant preparation.

7. The calendar as a mirror of professional football

The official LaLiga 25/26 calendar reflects the demands and rhythm of professional football: periods of intense competition, rest, and progression throughout the year.

For training academies, this calendar is a frame of reference so that players begin to internalize what the real calendar will be like if they reach professional play. This understanding is part of the training process and helps mentally prepare footballers for their future.

Understanding the LaLiga calendar is essential for any player aspiring to compete at the highest level, as it prepares them to face the challenges and intensity that the elite demands. In this sense, knowledge of this structure is part of the comprehensive learning of a footballer.

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