FC Barcelona will start its 2026/27 La Liga campaign in the second round after skipping the first round of matches. The club will travel to the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero to face Elche on Sunday, August 23, with a match against Athletic Club scheduled for August 27 at the Camp Nou. La Liga 2026/27 began on August 15, but only twelve teams played in the opening round. Among them were Real Madrid, Real Betis, Valencia, Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Celta Vigo, and Athletic Club. The rest of the teams, including Barcelona, received a week off. This decision was made after an agreement between La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation, which mandated a mandatory break for players who participated in the FIFA World Cup. Barcelona, which reached the 2026 World Cup final, benefited from this pause to recover before starting the season. La Liga 2026/27 will feature 20 teams, but only twelve played in the first round, marking a change from the usual format.