The 2026/27 Copa del Rey takes another step towards its opening round today, with 112 clubs entering the draw while Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid and Real Sociedad remain exempt. The four Spanish Super Cup participants will join at the round of 32, leaving the other entrants to navigate the first two rounds.
The draw is scheduled for 1pm Spanish mainland time at the Luis Aragonés auditorium in the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas, near Madrid—not Las Palmas. It will determine 56 first-round ties, with the matches scheduled for 27–29 October. Today therefore marks the draw rather than the start of first-round play.
The competition brings together 116 clubs, including the four teams receiving byes. Sixteen Primera División sides will enter the first round, alongside eligible clubs from the lower divisions. Racing de Santander are among the top-flight teams involved, while Barcelona, Madrid, Atlético and Real Sociedad must wait until the later stage.
The draw applies geographical criteria and prioritises matches between clubs from different divisions. Ties are played over a single match, generally at the ground of the lower-ranked side, giving smaller clubs the opportunity to welcome opponents from higher levels of Spanish football.
For those entering now, the format leaves little room for recovery. A single poor performance can end a cup campaign, while home advantage offers lower-division teams a chance to challenge more established opponents. Clubs such as Burgos, Girona and Las Palmas are among the entrants waiting to discover their first-round opposition.
The absence of the four Super Cup participants is a consequence of the tournament’s regulations, not a new tactical concession or a decision designed to guarantee them additional preparation time. Their delayed entry reduces the number of early-round fixtures they must play, but does not determine how much recovery or training time they will have before their eventual ties.
For supporters, today’s draw will establish the first set of matchups and identify which lower-division grounds will host higher-ranked visitors. It offers the opening outline of a competition in which the format gives clubs outside the elite a direct opportunity to make an impression.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético and Real Sociedad will begin their campaigns later. For the remaining 112 clubs, attention turns first to today’s draw and then to the matches at the end of October, when the first-round results will decide who advances.
