The 2025/26 Copa del Rey officially kicks off on Monday, but fans’ attention has been drawn to the absence of giants such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético, and Athletic from the draw. These clubs will not participate in the tournament’s opening stage, raising questions among many football supporters.
The reason lies in the specifics of the calendar. Since the 2019/20 season, when the Copa del Rey format was updated, teams participating in the national Supercopa are exempt from the early rounds. This decision was made to prevent schedule overload for clubs competing for another national trophy in January.
Previously, the Supercopa opened the season and matched up the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Now, it features the four top clubs based on the previous season’s results. As a result, Barcelona and Real Madrid, as title holders, along with Atlético and Athletic, who finished third and fourth in La Liga, have earned the right to skip the Copa del Rey’s opening matches.
Interestingly, Atlético and Athletic did not win trophies last season, but thanks to their league positions they are also included among the Supercopa participants. Under current federation rules, if the title holders are already determined, the remaining Supercopa spots go to the next highest-ranked teams.
Thus, the four leading clubs in the country will only enter the fight for the Copa del Rey from the third round. The remaining teams will learn their opponents in October and begin their road to the final without the favorites. This change in format ensures a more even distribution of workload among the participants and makes the tournament more dynamic.
As a result, this year’s Copa del Rey will start without its usual leaders, and their first appearance on the field is expected only in the later stages. This approach has become a tradition in recent years and, according to the organizers, helps to achieve a more balanced match schedule in a packed football season.
