The 2026 Supercopa de España, simply known as the Spanish Super Cup, starts tonight Wednesday, January 7, in Saudi Arabia, and it promises to be an electrifying four-team tournament featuring Real Madrid, Barcelona—who clinched the domestic double (La Liga and Copa del Rey)—alongside Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. The matches will run from January 7 to 11.
Tonight, Barcelona will face off against Athletic Bilbao at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, while Real Madrid will cross paths with city rivals Atlético Madrid tomorrow, Thursday, January 8, at the same venue.
The final will take place on Sunday, January 11, with the winner of semi-final one taking on the winner of semi-final two for a shot at the trophy.
This edition marks the continued format of the Spanish Super Cup under its new criteria, featuring the top four teams from La Liga and the Copa del Rey champions and runners-up, as opposed to the previous format where the competition was contested solely between the league and Copa del Rey winners.
In a new twist, Qatar has shown interest in hosting future editions of the Spanish Super Cup, rivaling Saudi Arabia for the hosting rights.
However, the Spanish Super Cup will not be played in Spain again, at least for the next few years, as Saudi Arabia has extended its hosting contract until 2029, worth €120 million annually.
In terms of prize money, the Spanish Football Federation continues to boost earnings for the competition. Last year, around €19.6 million was shared among the clubs, while this year the total prize money is expected to rise to approximately €23 million. The amount will be distributed among the four participating clubs based on titles won, club history, and television viewership.
By Andrews Addotey
