Copa del Rey 2026-27 first round: 18 matches open the tournament on Tuesday

The 2026-2027 Copa del Rey opens on Tuesday with 18 first-round ties, a stage in which clubs from very different divisions meet and lower-ranked sides host the matches. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid and Real Sociedad are not involved until the round of 32 because of their participation in the Spanish Super Cup, leaving the early focus on smaller clubs.

• The tournament starts Tuesday at 18:30 with Cuarte against Girona in Cuarte de Huerva.
• Fifty-six single-leg ties make up the first round, spread across three days.
• Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético and Real Sociedad enter in the round of 32 due to the Super Cup.
• Lower-division clubs play at home and there is no VAR until the round of 16.
• The second round is scheduled for 1, 2 and 3 December.

Cuarte vs Girona: the first official match of the 2026-27 Copa del Rey

The competition starts at 18:30 at the Juan Guerrero El Lobo municipal stadium in Cuarte de Huerva, in the province of Zaragoza. Cuarte, a Tercera Federación side, will host Girona, currently in the Segunda División, on artificial turf in a venue with a capacity of around 2,000 spectators.

In the home dugout will be Chus Herrero, a coach with a past at the Catalan club: he played 45 matches for Girona between 2012 and 2014. His knowledge of the opposition adds an extra layer to a tie that captures the spirit of the early cup rounds.

Which La Liga teams play on Tuesday in the cup

The opening day features several ties with top-flight clubs playing away from home. Sestao River-Espanyol, Pinatar-Elche, Manacor-Villarreal, Recreativo de Huelva-Rayo Vallecano and Sporting de Alcázar-Málaga are the Tuesday fixtures involving La Liga sides.

Sporting de Alcázar vs Málaga and the capacity increase in Alcázar de San Juan

One of the most anticipated ties before a ball is kicked is Sporting de Alcázar, from the regional Preferente category, against Málaga at the Manolo Delgado Meco stadium. The ground will expand from 2,700 to 4,800 spectators for the occasion, reviving local memories of the clash with Diego Maradona's Sevilla back in 1992.

Sporting de Alcázar operates with an annual budget of 166,000 euros and a largely amateur squad, a sharp contrast with the structure of a professional Segunda División club.

Wednesday and Thursday: the rest of the Copa del Rey opening round

Twenty-four matches will be played on Wednesday, including some of the most eye-catching ties of the round: Navalcarnero-Real Betis, Salamanca UDS-Celta de Vigo and Tavernes-Valencia. The remaining 14 games are set for Thursday, with demanding away trips for Athletic Club, Sevilla and Osasuna against Prat, Sporting de Hortaleza and Atlético Calatayud respectively.

All ties are decided in a single leg at the stadium of the lower-ranked opponent. VAR will not be available in this phase and will only come into play from the round of 16.

What comes after the first round: dates and format of the second stage

The 56 clubs that advance will move into a second round scheduled for 1, 2 and 3 December. In that stage, lower-division teams will again host higher-ranked opponents, keeping alive the possibility of modest clubs extending their cup run and earning a meeting with one of the four exempt sides.

Frequently asked questions about the Copa del Rey first round