La Liga

Lore & Background

A total of 63 teams have competed in La Liga since its inception. Nine clubs have been crowned Spanish champions. Real Madrid and Barcelona have dominated the competition, with 36 and 29 titles respectively. Other successful clubs include Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Real Sociedad, while Deportivo La Coruña have also won the title. As of the 2024–25 season, La Liga is ranked third in the UEFA coefficient rankings. Its clubs have won more UEFA Champions League (20), UEFA Europa League (14), UEFA Super Cup (17) and FIFA Club World Cup (8) titles than those of any other league.

Reader's Guide

The competition format follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which lasts from August to May, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for 38 matches. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club crowned champion at the end of the season.

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Primera División and the Segunda División. The three lowest placed teams in La Liga are relegated to the Segunda División, and the top two teams from the Segunda División promoted to La Liga, with an additional club promoted after a series of play-offs involving the third, fourth, fifth and sixth placed clubs. Tie-breaker rules include head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, total goal difference, total goals scored, Fair Play scales, and if still tied, a tie-break match in a neutral stadium.

Did You Know?

• La Liga has produced the continent's top-rated club more often than any other league.
• La Liga players have accumulated the most Ballon d'Or awards (24), The Best FIFA Men's Player awards (19) and UEFA Men's Player of the Year awards (12).
• Athletic Bilbao achieved the biggest win in La Liga history by beating Barcelona 12–1.