European leagues set for staggered 2026-27 starts after World Cup

La Liga will be the first of Europe’s five major domestic leagues to begin its 2026-27 season, with fixtures starting on the weekend of 15-16 August.

The Spanish top flight will get under way a week after the Eredivisie and before the Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A and Bundesliga. Its schedule has been the subject of a dispute between the Spanish Football Federation (AFE) and the Liga authorities.

The AFE had sought an additional week of rest for players following this summer’s World Cup. As a result, the opening round of La Liga fixtures will be spread over several weeks.

No La Liga match will be played on 18 August, while games may be scheduled between 15 and 31 August inclusive. The opening fixture is due to take place at 19:30 GMT on 15 August, when Deportivo Alaves host Getafe.

The Premier League begins on the weekend of 21-23 August, two weeks after the Eredivisie. The first game is scheduled for 21:00 GMT on Friday, 21 August, with reigning champions Arsenal facing Coventry City.

Five matches are due to be played on the Saturday, followed by three on the Sunday.

Ligue 1 also starts between 21 and 23 August. Olympique de Marseille and Strasbourg will open the French campaign at 20:45 GMT on Friday, 21 August.

Serie A follows on the weekend of 22-23 August. Two matches are scheduled for 17:30 GMT on Saturday, 22 August, with Inter Milan playing Monza and Udinese meeting Como.

Napoli will play later that evening. Four further fixtures are planned for Sunday, with two more matches taking place on Monday.

Bundesliga offers longest break

The Bundesliga will be the last of the five major European leagues to resume, giving players the longest rest period after the 2026 World Cup.

The German season starts on the weekend of 28-30 August. Reigning champions Bayern Munich will begin the campaign at home to VfB Stuttgart at 20:30 GMT on Friday, 28 August.

Six matches are scheduled for Saturday, with two more to follow on Sunday.

The UEFA Champions League will also return next month after its qualifying rounds. The league phase of the competition begins on 8 September 2026.

The listed opening weekends for the six leagues are the Netherlands from 9-11 August, Spain from 14-16 August, England from 21-23 August, France from 21-23 August, Italy from 21-23 August and Germany from 28-30 August.

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