There are 20 teams in La Liga, currently spread out across the length and breadth of Spain. Many of those clubs have very distinct identities, often closely linked to that of their city or local region.
The Community of Madrid and the Valencian region currently account for 40% of all La Liga teams. This season, every club is based on the mainland, following the relegation of islanders Mallorca. Top-flight action returns to Cantabria after 14 years following the promotion of Racing Santander.
2026/27 La Liga teams map
A quick glance at the LaLiga clubs map for the 2026/27 season highlights just how spread out the sides are. While there are a few big clusters of teams in and around Madrid, Valencia and the Basque Country, most of the major regions in Spain are represented.
At very opposite ends of the country, Malaga and Deportivo La Coruña are the other promoted clubs. Those clubs are separated by 1,100 km, roughly a 20-hour return trip by car, although fast train connections make it relatively easy for anyone planing a Spanish football adventure.
With fixtures staggered between Friday night and Monday night, it’s easy to fit in two or more La Liga games on any given weekend.
La Liga teams in Madrid
- Real Madrid
- Atletico Madrid
- Rayo Vallecano
- Getafe
The La Liga teams list currently has a distinct Madrileño flavour and is home to some of the country’s best stadiums. Real, Atletico and barrio boys Rayo Vallecano are located within the city proper. However, the latter may be forced to play some home games in nearby Leganes this season, due to problems at their stadium.
Meanwhile, Getafe are based in a commuter town to the south of the city, but with excellent transport links that will take you to the heart of the Spanish capital in less than 30 minutes. If you’re visiting Madrid during a regular La Liga matchday, there should always be a game to catch.
La Liga teams in the Valencian Community
- Valencia
- Villarreal
- Levante
- Elche
Valencia CF are by far the biggest club in this part of Spain, but they’ve been outperformed in recent years by Villarreal, who are based around 60 km north in a small town, close to the larger city of Castellon.
Valencian representation in the Primera Division doubled in the 2025/26 season after Levante and Elche both won automatic promotion from the second tier. Levante are based in the city of Valencia, only a 40-minute walk from Mestalla, the home of their local rivals. Meanwhile, Elche are based further south in the province of Alicante.
La Liga teams in the Basque Country
- Athletic Club
- Real Sociedad
- Alaves
The Basque Country is another of the major Spanish football hotbeds. Vizcaya-based Athletic Club are one of three ever-presents in the Primera Division since its inaugural season in 1929.
Four of the 10 founding members of the league were actually Basque teams, and each of the three Basque provinces are still represented in the league today, with Real Sociedad from Guipuzcoa and Alaves from Alava.
La Liga teams in Andalusia
- Sevilla
- Real Betis
- Malaga
Andalusia is the most populated and second largest of the 17 autonomous communities of Spain.
It was home to five top-flight teams as recently as the 2023/24 season. However, following the relegations of Cadiz, Granada and Almeria, only Sevilla and Real Betis, both in the city of Seville, were left until Malaga’s recent promotion.
Betis are currently in temporary accommodation at the 70,000-capacity La Cartuja for La Liga 2026/27, while the Benito Villamarin gets a facelift.
La Liga teams in Catalunya
There are two La Liga teams in Barcelona, with the club that carries the name of the city based in the barrio of Les Corts. Construction work is still ongoing at Camp Nou, which has been rebuilt over the past few years, but the Catalan giants are playing their home games there again, following more than two years at the Estadi Olimpic.
Espanyol are the other Barcelona club, although they are now based just outside of the city limits in Cornella de Llobregat. Girona were relegated in May, meaning there is no other Catalan representation in the top tier this season.
La Liga teams in Galicia
- Celta Vigo
- Deportivo La Coruña
While Deportivo La Coruña brought the La Liga title to Galicia in the 1999/00 season, Celta Vigo have been the more successful club in recent years. They are playing in Europe again this term.
The Galician derby, one of Spanish football’s biggest rivalries, is back on the menu this season following Depor’s second-place finish in the second tier. Meetings at the Riazor and Balaidos are sure to attract big crowds as the fixture makes its long-awaited return, but it should be possible to get tickets if you buy in advance.
Navarre
Navarre (Navarra) is something of a disputed region which some view as part of the Basque Country. It is home to top-flight club Osasuna, based in the largest Navarrese city of Pamplona, which is best known internationally for its annual running of the bulls.
Cantabria
Sandwiched between the Basque Country and Asturias, the region of Cantabria is home to only one major professional football club and that’s Racing Santander. A regular presence in the top flight during the 1990s and 2000s, Racing fell on hard times and spent seven seasons in the third tier between 2013 and 2022.
Head over to our region guides for the lowdown on the football clubs in Spain that currently play in the second and third tiers.
Mark Sochon is an experienced football writer and editor of LaLiga Expert. Based in Madrid, he has covered La Liga and Spanish football for many years. He also covers Spanish and European football for Goal and Betfred, while his work has previously been published by the Guardian and World Soccer.
