La Liga

La Liga

Spain

Spain's top-flight football league.

20 teams • 380 matches • 2026/2027 season

PWDLGDGFLast 5PTS
Champions League
1FC Barcelona3300+1012
WWW
9
2Real Madrid CF4301+710
LWWW
9
3Real Betis Balompié430105
WLWW
9
4Deportivo La Coruna4220+38
WWDD
8
UEFA Europa League
5Alaves3210+45
WDW
7
Conference League qualification
6CA Osasuna3210+23
WWD
7
7Atletico Madrid4211+17
LWDW
7
8Sevilla FC3201+16
LWW
6
9Athletic Club4202+16
WWLL
6
10Levante UD311105
WDL
4
11Racing Santander4112-17
LWLD
4
12Rayo Vallecano de Madrid4112-37
WLDL
4
13Real Sociedad de Fútbol4112-33
DWLL
4
14RCD Espanyol de Barcelona3102+15
LLW
3
15Getafe CF3102-31
LWL
3
16Villarreal CF4022-26
LLDD
2
17RC Celta de Vigo4022-31
DLLD
2
Relegation
18Valencia CF3012-31
LLD
1
19Elche CF3012-63
LLD
1
20Málaga CF3012-61
LDL
1
Rules and legend
  • Champions League
  • UEFA Europa League
  • Conference League qualification
  • Relegation

Players to watch

Honours

Most popular teams

About La Liga

History

La Liga was founded in 1929 on the initiative of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which organized a national championship initially featuring ten clubs. The competition was suspended between 1936 and 1939 due to the Spanish Civil War, before resuming its normal course. The league evolved considerably throughout the 20th century, gradually expanding to 16, then 18, then 20 clubs from the 1997-1998 season onward — the format still in use today. The competition's professionalism and commercial structure were strengthened with the creation of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LNFP), rebranded simply as "LaLiga" for marketing purposes. Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology was introduced during the 2018-2019 season, bringing Spanish football in line with the standards of other major European leagues.

Trophy roll

Historic clubs

  • Real Madrid CF — Spain's and Europe's most decorated club, forms the "Clásico" with FC Barcelona, the most followed derby in the world.
  • FC Barcelona — Real Madrid's historic rival, known for its playing style and its famous youth academy, La Masia.
  • Atlético Madrid — The Spanish capital's historic third force, known for its defensive identity.
  • Athletic Club — Based in Bilbao, one of only three clubs never relegated from the top flight; historically fields only Basque players.
  • Valencia CF — A historic club from eastern Spain, champions multiple times in the 2000s.

Competition format

La Liga is contested by 20 teams playing each other home and away, for a total of 38 matchdays between August and May.

The standings are determined by points earned:

  • Win: 3 points
  • Draw: 1 point
  • Loss: 0 points

At the end of the season:

  • The champion is crowned La Liga winner.
  • The bottom three clubs are relegated to Segunda División.
  • The top teams qualify for UEFA's European competitions.

Qualification for UEFA competitions

La Liga's best-placed clubs earn qualification for continental competitions organized by UEFA:

  • UEFA Champions League
  • UEFA Europa League
  • UEFA Europa Conference League

The exact number of Champions League spots (usually four to five) depends on Spain's UEFA coefficient, while an extra Conference League spot often goes to the Copa del Rey winner.

Frequently asked questions

How many clubs play in La Liga?

La Liga features 20 professional clubs competing each season.

Which club has won the most Spanish titles?

Real Madrid CF, with 36 Spanish championship titles in total.

How do clubs qualify for the UEFA Champions League?

La Liga's top four or five teams earn qualification, depending on Spain's UEFA coefficient.

Since when has La Liga existed?

La Liga was founded in 1929 and has featured 20 clubs since the 1997-1998 season.

What is the "Clásico"?

It's the name given to the match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, one of the most followed derbies in the world.

Where can I follow La Liga results?

AtlasGoal provides the standings, results, match schedule, statistics, and the latest news for Spain's top league.