La Liga announces unusual start to the 2026-27 season for Barcelona | OneFootball

Every passing day brings FC Barcelona closer to the start of the 2026-27 season, in which the Blaugranes would have a very clear objective, i.e., winning the UEFA Champions League. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick would also be looking to defend the La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles that he has won for the last two consecutive seasons, while also getting his hands back on the Copa del Rey.

The German coach is already working with the available first team players and some youngsters, as preseason training at the club started on Monday, 13th July. However, most of the first team players are set to join him in training later, after they end their vacations and their World Cup campaigns.

As things stand, up to 10 Barcelona players are still alive in the international competition, which has reached the semi-final stage. One implication this will have for the Catalan club will be the delayed start to its league campaign.

As Mundo Deportivo has noted, this is clear from the schedule published by La Liga for the first three matchdays of the upcoming league campaign. Barcelona are set to play their first La Liga game next season on 23rd August, against Elche. However, this match will correspond with matchday 2, and the matchday 1 game, against Athletic Club, will be played on 27th August.

The matchday 3 game will be played against Rayo Vallecano on 31st August. The latter two games would both be played at the Spotify Camp Nou, while the first would be played away from home.

Thus, Hansi Flick would get some extra days to prepare his Barcelona team for the upcoming season, but he will not get a lot of time to work with some of his most important players, as they are yet to conclude their World Cup campaigns.