Valencia CF have learned their first opponent in the 2026-27 Copa del Rey. The draw held on Monday morning at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas paired Javier Aguirre's side with UE Tavernes de la Valldigna, a team from the regional Lliga Comunitat FFCV.

The single-leg tie will be played between 27 and 29 October at the Camp Municipal de Tavernes de la Valldigna. The stadium, with an approximate capacity of 1,800, could be upgraded with temporary stands to hold up to 5,000 spectators. Tavernes, who play in the southern group of Spain's fifth tier, battled through a tough preliminary round against UD Maracena to reach this historic first round.

Carlos Sapina's team drew 1-1 at home and 0-0 away, forcing extra time which also failed to produce a winner. They eventually prevailed 4-2 in a penalty shootout. This victory earned them a place in the first round proper and the dream draw. "We've hit the jackpot, Valencia is the big club of the Valencian Community," coach Sapina said after the draw.

Player Alex Moreno, a Valencia fan since childhood, echoed the dressing room's excitement. "We've hit the jackpot. Here in the dressing room, many of us have been Valencia fans since we were kids." he confessed. The town of Tavernes de la Valldigna, located 57 kilometres from Valencia with a population of around 17,000, has an official Valencia CF supporters' club, adding a local derby flavour to the tie.

For Valencia, who are struggling in 19th place in La Liga with just 4 points, the Cup offers a welcome distraction. Aguirre's team arrives on a run of four defeats in their last five league games, including a 2-3 loss to Real Sociedad. Before the cup tie, Valencia travel to face Racing Santander, a direct rival in the lower reaches of the table.

The eight-time Copa winners face an enthusiastic opponent who are themselves fighting relegation in their regional group. Tavernes have only one win from their first four league matches this season. Their top scorer is Jorge Seral with three goals. The tie will be played without VAR, which will be introduced from the round of 16 onwards. The match promises to be a historic occasion for grassroots football in the Valencian Community.

More detail at Mundo Deportivo