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. Barcelona won the first Liga in 1929. Real Madrid won their first titles in 1932 and 1933.

In Their Own Story

The roar of the Santiago Bernabéu was not just noise; it was a physical force pressing against the glass walls of the stadium. As the final whistle blew on a tense Sunday afternoon in May, the players did not immediately celebrate. They stood still for a heartbeat, looking at the scoreboard that confirmed another La Liga title. The weight of the silver trophy felt heavier than any European Cup, for this victory was earned over thirty-eight grueling weeks against every rival in Spain. It was the 36th time the white banner had been raised highest in the land.

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. If points are equal between two or more clubs, tie-breaker rules apply, including head-to-head records, total goal difference, fair play scales, and potentially a tie-break match.

Did You Know?

• As of the 2024–25 season, La Liga is ranked third in the UEFA coefficient rankings.
• La Liga 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.
• 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).
• Only three founding clubs (Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao) have never been relegated from the Primera División.