RTVE Secures Free-to-Air Rights for LaLiga and Copa del Rey 2025/2026 Season
RTVE returns LaLiga and Copa del Rey football matches to free-to-air TV for the 2025/2026 season, starting January 16 on Teledeporte.
- • RTVE has acquired free-to-air broadcasting rights for LaLiga EA Sports for the 2025/2026 season.
- • Matches will be broadcast on Teledeporte starting January 16, with Espanyol vs Girona as the first game on January 20.
- • RTVE secured rights to air up to 116 Copa del Rey matches, starting with Albacete vs Real Madrid on January 14.
- • The deal restores free access to major Spanish football matches after a period of exclusivity on DAZN.
Key details
RTVE has successfully acquired the broadcasting rights for both LaLiga EA Sports and the Copa del Rey football tournaments for the 2025/2026 season, marking a significant return of these competitions to free-to-air television in Spain. Starting January 16, LaLiga matches will be aired on Teledeporte, with the inaugural game scheduled for January 20 featuring Espanyol against Girona. This development restores public access to top-tier Spanish football, which during the first half of the season was exclusively available on the DAZN platform.
In addition to LaLiga coverage, RTVE will broadcast Copa del Rey matches, with rights secured for up to 116 games through the 2025/2026 season. The public broadcaster will show key matches, excluding the final, broadening free visibility of the prestigious Spanish cup. The first Copa del Rey match under RTVE’s coverage was Albacete versus Real Madrid on January 14, aired at 21:00.
This move ensures that fans across Spain can watch Spanish football without subscription barriers, reflecting RTVE's commitment to accessible sports programming. The return of LaLiga to Teledeporte is particularly noteworthy as it coincides with the start of the season's second half, offering weekly matches to a wide audience.
According to La Razón, RTVE's acquisition is set to bring continued coverage of crucial Spanish football, rekindling public enthusiasm for the sport on traditional free-to-air channels. Meanwhile, the Copa del Rey coverage includes extensive match coverage through the season’s outstanding fixtures. This also highlights RTVE's role as a key player in Spanish sports broadcasting moving forward.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
