Copa del Rey 2026: Betis, Valencia, Celta among five La Liga clubs in round one
Synopsis
Five La Liga sides hit the road on 27 October for Copa del Rey first-round ties against lower-division opponents — with Celta Vigo facing a Salamanca UDS coached by 2024 Copa winner Iker Muniain, and Betis navigating rotation rules against fourth-tier Navalcarnero. The big four — Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico and holders Real Sociedad — sit out the early rounds entirely.
Key Takeaways
Real Betis , Valencia , Celta Vigo , Alaves , and Levante are all in away Copa del Rey first-round action on 27 October 2026 .
Betis face fourth-tier CDA Navalcarnero ; coach Manuel Pellegrini is expected to rotate, but rules require at least seven first-team players on the field.
Celta Vigo visit Salamanca UDS , coached by former Athletic Club captain Iker Muniain , who scored in the 2024 Copa del Rey final penalty shootout.
Celta beat Salamanca 7-0 when they last met in December 2024 .
Real Madrid , FC Barcelona , Atletico Madrid , and holders Real Sociedad are exempt from the first two rounds.
A total of 16 La Liga clubs are in first-round action this week under the cup's home-advantage-for-lower-clubs format.
Real Betis, Valencia, Celta Vigo, Alaves, and Levante — five La Liga sides — are in Copa del Rey first-round action on Wednesday, 27 October, all playing away from home against lower-division opponents under competition rules that grant smaller clubs home advantage in the early stages.
Key Fixtures and Matchups
Real Betis travel to the Madrid region to take on CDA Navalcarnero, a club competing in the Segunda Federación — Spain's fourth tier. Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini is expected to rotate his starting lineup significantly, though competition regulations mandate that at least seven registered first-team players remain on the field throughout the match.
Celta Vigo face another fourth-tier test, visiting Salamanca UDS — a side now coached by former Athletic Club captain Iker Muniain. Muniain is a notable figure in Copa del Rey history: he was part of the Athletic Club squad that ended a 40-year wait for the trophy by winning the 2024 Copa del Rey, scoring in the penalty shootout against Mallorca. The two clubs previously met in December 2024, with Celta recording a commanding 7-0 away victory.
Levante visit fifth-tier CD Tarancon, while Alaves travel to the Basque town of Azkoitia to face CD Anaitasuna. Valencia are expected to progress when they take on CFUE Tavernes de la Valldigna, a club competing in the regional leagues of the Valencian Community.
Format and Structure of the First Round
A total of 16 La Liga clubs are involved in the first round this week. The knockout format provides lower-division sides with home advantage against top-flight opponents in the opening rounds — a deliberate structural choice by Spanish football authorities that serves as an important revenue source for smaller clubs and raises the prospect of a giant-killing result.
The first round features clubs from across Spain's football pyramid, including several amateur and regional sides that qualified through the preliminary rounds. This comes amid a broader tradition of the Copa del Rey offering lower-league teams rare high-profile exposure.
Big Clubs Exempt From Early Rounds
Defending cup holders Real Sociedad, along with FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid — all of whom are set to participate in the Spanish Supercup in February — are exempt from the first two rounds of this year's competition.
Upset Prospect and What Is at Stake
The gulf in quality between amateur sides and established La Liga clubs makes a shock result unlikely, yet the Copa del Rey has a long history of providing lower-league players with memorable nights against the country's top clubs. All five La Liga sides will be eager to avoid any early embarrassment and progress to the next round without disruption to their league campaigns.
Point of View
And Wednesday's fixtures illustrate both its charm and its limits. The Muniain subplot at Salamanca is genuinely compelling: a 2024 winner now trying to pull off an upset as a manager. Yet with Celta having won their last meeting 7-0, the gap in quality is hard to paper over. The real story here is institutional: while Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico sit out entirely, mid-table La Liga sides bear the rotation burden and the injury risk on difficult away pitches. Whether that arrangement is equitable remains a quiet debate within Spanish football governance.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which La Liga clubs are playing in the Copa del Rey first round on 27 October 2026?
Real Betis, Valencia, Celta Vigo, Alaves, and Levante are the five La Liga sides in Copa del Rey first-round action on 27 October. All five play away from home, as competition rules grant lower-division clubs home advantage in the early rounds.
Who is coaching Salamanca UDS against Celta Vigo?
Salamanca UDS are managed by former Athletic Club captain Iker Muniain, a former Spain international who scored in the penalty shootout when Athletic Club won the 2024 Copa del Rey against Mallorca. Celta won 7-0 the last time the two sides met, in December 2024.
Why are Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid not playing in the first round?
Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and defending holders Real Sociedad are all exempt from the first two rounds of the Copa del Rey this season. Their exemption is linked to their participation in the Spanish Supercup in February.
What are the rotation rules for La Liga clubs in the Copa del Rey?
Copa del Rey regulations require participating clubs to have at least seven registered first-team players on the field at all times during a match. Coaches can otherwise make extensive changes to their starting lineups in the early rounds.
How does the Copa del Rey first-round format work?
The first round is a straight knockout format involving 16 La Liga sides this week. Lower-division and amateur clubs earn home advantage against top-flight opponents, providing smaller clubs with valuable matchday revenue and a chance to test themselves against professional opposition.
