Copa del Rey 2026/27 first round draw: Catalan clubs learn their opponents

The 2026/27 Copa del Rey already has its first round mapped out. This Monday, the draw took place at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas, involving 112 qualified clubs and placing seven Catalan teams plus Andorra into their opening ties. The competition gets underway on 27 October, with FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid and Real Sociedad absent from the draw because they are scheduled to play the Spanish Super Cup in January.

• The first round of the 2026/27 Copa del Rey will be played on 27 October as single-leg ties.
• Seven Catalan clubs and Andorra discovered their opponents during the draw in Las Rozas.
• Espanyol will face Sestao River, a team they have never lost to.
• Girona open their campaign against Cuarte from Tercera RFEF.
• El Prat could host Athletic Club if they complete their postponed tie against San Rafael.

First round matchups for Catalan clubs

The draw was organised by regional proximity, opening the door to derbies between clubs from the same community. In the end, the pairings involving Catalan representatives and Andorra were as follows: Varea - Andorra, Cuarte - Girona, Sestao River - Espanyol, Utebo - Sabadell, Reus - Barakaldo, Manresa - Sant Andreu, Calamocha - Europa, and El Prat or San Rafael - Athletic Club.

Espanyol are currently the only Catalan club in the top flight. Their opponents, Sestao River, crossed paths with the Barcelona side once before, back in the 1989/90 Segunda División season. On that occasion, Espanyol won the first meeting 1-0 and drew the return leg 2-2. The Basque outfit have never beaten Espanyol.

Girona and Sabadell target a place in the next round

Girona, relegated last season after their spell in LaLiga, will make their debut in this edition against Cuarte, a Tercera RFEF side. It will be the first ever official meeting between the two clubs. Quique Álvarez's men are expected to assert their higher status against an Aragonese opponent appearing in the competition for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign.

Sabadell, newly promoted to the Segunda División, will travel to Aragon to take on Utebo. There is no previous record between the two sides either. For Utebo, it marks a return to the Copa del Rey two seasons after their last appearance.

History on the line for Sant Andreu, Europa and Reus Reddis

Two Primera Federación clubs, Sant Andreu and Europa, were paired with Catalan and Aragonese opponents respectively. Sant Andreu will head to El Congost to face Manresa in a fixture that revives their meeting from the 2023/24 season, when the teams drew 1-1 in group 3 of Segunda Federación. Europa, meanwhile, will visit Calamocha.

Reus Futbol Club Reddis will host Barakaldo, a Primera Federación side. There is a single precedent between these clubs, from the 1982/83 season in the now-defunct Segunda División B: the Catalan team won the first match 2-1, while the Basques took the return leg with a convincing 3-1. This Copa tie will settle the all-time head-to-head.

El Prat dream of hosting Athletic Club

The standout prize of the draw may belong to El Prat. The Baix Llobregat club won the first leg of their preliminary tie 1-5 against San Rafael, a match whose return leg was postponed due to heavy rain in Catalonia. If they maintain or improve that result, they will advance and earn the right to welcome Athletic Club to their stadium.

Andorra, for their part, will face CD Varea from Tercera RFEF, another first-time meeting. It is worth remembering that, until the semi-finals, all ties are played as single legs and higher-division clubs play away from home until they meet an opponent from the same division.

Frequently asked questions about the Copa del Rey draw