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La Liga

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La Liga
Current season2023–24 La Liga
SportAssociation football
Founded1929
FounderJosé María Acha
Teams20
CountrySpain
ConfedUEFA
ChampionFC Barcelona (27th title)
Most champsReal Madrid CF (35 titles)
PromotionSegunda División
Domestic cupCopa del Rey
League cupSupercopa de España
Confed cupUEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League
CeoJavier Tebas
TvMovistar Plus+, DAZN
Websitelaliga.es

La Liga. Officially known as **LaLiga EA Sports** for sponsorship reasons, it is the men's top professional football division of the Spanish football league system. Administered by the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LFP), it is contested by twenty clubs and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Segunda División. Since its founding, the competition has become one of the most popular and highest-quality sports leagues in the world, renowned for its technical style of play and global superstars.

History

The league was formally founded in 1929 following an initiative by José María Acha, with ten founding clubs including Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao. Its early years were disrupted by the Spanish Civil War and World War II, but it resumed fully in the late 1940s. The 1950s saw the emergence of legendary players like Alfredo Di Stéfano and Ladislao Kubala, elevating its international profile. The modern era, particularly from the 1980s onward, has been defined by intense rivalry, global television expansion, and the arrival of iconic figures such as Johan Cruyff, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, cementing its status as a dominant force in UEFA competitions.

Format

The competition follows a double round-robin format, where each of the twenty teams plays every other team twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 matches per season. A victory earns three points, a draw one point, and a defeat zero points. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned champion. The bottom three teams are relegated to the Segunda División, replaced by the top two teams from that division and the winner of a promotion playoff. Qualification for European competitions is determined by final league position, granting access to the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Europa Conference League.

Clubs

A total of 62 teams have competed in the league since its inception. The 2023–24 season features historic clubs such as Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao, who are among the few never to have been relegated. Other notable current participants include Sevilla FC, Real Betis, Valencia CF, and Real Sociedad. Clubs from cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia have traditionally been prominent, with Villarreal CF representing a successful modern project from a smaller municipality. Each club's stadium, such as Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and Camp Nou, are iconic venues in world football.

Champions

Real Madrid CF holds the record for the most titles, with 35 championships. FC Barcelona follows with 27, while Atlético Madrid has won 11. Other clubs to have won the title include Athletic Bilbao with eight, Valencia CF with six, and Real Sociedad with two. The longest consecutive title streak is five, achieved by Real Madrid CF between 1961 and 1965 and again from 1986 to 1990. The competition has been dominated by its two most successful clubs, though Atlético Madrid and others have periodically broken their duopoly, most notably in the 2013–14 and 2020–21 seasons.

Records and statistics

The all-time appearance record is held by Andoni Zubizarreta, with 622 matches. The league's all-time top scorer is Lionel Messi, who scored 474 goals for FC Barcelona. Other notable records include Telmo Zarra's single-season scoring record of 38 goals, held for over six decades until broken by Lionel Messi in 2012. Real Madrid CF holds the records for most points in a season (100 in 2011–12) and the longest unbeaten run (40 matches from 2016–17). Individual accolades include the Pichichi Trophy for top scorer and the Zamora Trophy for best goalkeeper.

Media coverage

The league's domestic broadcasting rights are held by Movistar Plus+ and DAZN, following a major auction that significantly increased its revenue. Internationally, it is broadcast in over 180 territories through partnerships with networks like ESPN in the Americas and beIN Sports across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The league has aggressively expanded its digital and social media presence, launching dedicated channels on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Under president Javier Tebas, it has focused on global growth, organizing promotional matches and opening offices in key markets like the United States, India, and China.

Category:La Liga Category:Football leagues in Spain Category:UEFA member top-level football leagues