Real Madrid‘s request to have their opening LaLiga game of the season postponed due to their involvement in the Club World Cup has been rejected by a Spanish football federation judge.
Madrid played their last game at the tournament on Wednesday, July 9, when they were beaten 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in their semifinal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
LaLiga have scheduled their first game of the 2025-26 season — against Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu — for Tuesday, Aug. 19, at 9 p.m. local time, 41 days later.
Madrid had argued that date constituted “a breach of the minimum period of rest and preparation” cited in the collective agreement which governs professional football in Spain.
In a judgment released on Thursday, RFEF judge José Alberto Peláez said that he was dismissing Madrid’s request to postpone the match to a later date.
Madrid’s players had begun their period of rest on July 11, the judge said, and have therefore enjoyed the 21 days of uninterrupted rest set out in the collective agreement.
The regulations make no mention of a subsequent minimum 21 additional days for physical and tactical preparation, as Madrid and players’ union AFE had suggested, the judge said.
Madrid have 48 hours to appeal the decision.
Madrid’s rivals Barcelona kick off their league season away at Real Mallorca on Saturday, Aug. 16, while Atletico Madrid visit Espanyol on Sunday, Aug. 17.
