The 2022/23 European football season is underway with top leagues already underway in England, France, and Germany. But fans of Spain’s La Liga have a little more time to wait.
The Spanish top flight will begin play slightly later than other top European leagues which were moved up slightly to accommodate the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Real Madrid are defending champions, having completed a famous league and Champions League double with their 35th top flight title. After a season that could very well end in a coveted Ballon d’Or, Karim Benzema led La Liga in scoring with 27 goals.
The Sporting News brings you everything you need to know about the start of the Spanish top flight.
MORE: Real Madrid complete fixture list in 2022/23
The Spanish top flight kicks off the 2022/23 season on Friday, August 12, 2022 when Osasuna host Sevilla.
La Liga’s start time comes slightly later than other top European leagues, with the likes of the German Bundesliga and the English Premier League both starting the week prior. The Italian Serie A will also kick off on the same weekend as La Liga.
The Primera Division will feature an opening weekend fixture list that will see every match take place in a separate window with no overlapping matches.
The 38-match schedule in La Liga will wrap up on June 4, 2023.
Unlike other top European leagues, which give away a trophy in a showcase match prior to the start of the league season, the Spanish league does things a little differently.
While leagues like the Premier League (Community Shield) and the Bundesliga (DFL-Supercup) have preseason silverware to give away, the Spanish top flight has moved their Supercopa de Espana to the winter, often playing it outside the country to add flavor to the match. Serie A has done the same with its Supercoppa Italiana in recent years as well.
This season, the Supercopa de Espana will take place January 11-15, 2023 and will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Four teams participate in the mini knockout tournament, including Copa del Rey winners Real Betis, league champions Real Madrid, Copa del Rey runners-up Valencia, and league runners-up Barcelona.
MORE: Complete match schedule, dates and times for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup scheduled in November and December, leagues will be forced to pause for the biggest sporting event in the world. The tournament was moved from its usual June-July slot to the November-December months due to the heat in host nation Qatar.
La Liga will play its final round of matches before the Qatar event on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Players are required to be released to their national teams on Monday, Nov. 14 ahead of the World Cup. Other leagues around Europe will be playing up until that deadline with matches held on the weekend of Nov. 12-13.
The first round of La Liga matches after the World Cup will be played on Saturday, Dec. 31, although the final schedule for that weekend has not been confirmed. That’s 13 days after the World Cup final.
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