The 2024-2025 Spanish Football First Division (La Liga) season is about to begin. A total of 20 teams will participate in the new season, distributed across different regions of Spain. Each team represents the culture and characteristics of its region, showcasing the diversity of Spanish football.
Let’s take a look at where these teams come from and what makes their cities and regions special.
1. Madrid: The capital city with the most teams
Madrid is the capital of Spain and the political and economic center of the country. It is not only a place where many people live and work, but also the heartland of Spanish football. The Autonomous Community of Madrid has a total of five La Liga teams, making it the region with the most teams in the country.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s home stadium is the Bernabeu Stadium, located in the Chamartín district of Madrid. Although the stadium was formerly known as the “Chamartín Stadium,” most people now refer to it as the Bernabeu. Real Madrid is one of the most successful football clubs in the world, with fans all over the globe.
Atlético Madrid
Atlético Madrid’s home stadium is in the San Blas-Canillero district. The team plays a tough style of football and has performed well in La Liga and European competitions in recent years, often achieving good results.
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano’s home stadium is in the Ponte de Vallecas district. Although the team is relatively small, they play with passion and have attracted a loyal fan base.
Getafe
Getafe is located in the south of Madrid. The team has a solid defense and is often considered a “dark horse”—a team that doesn’t stand out much but can pull off an upset at crucial moments.
Leganés
Leganés is also located in the south of Madrid and has only recently returned to La Liga. Although it is not a big-name team, it is slowly gaining a foothold.
2. Catalonia: Home to Barcelona and other rivals
Catalonia is a very important region in Spain, with three La Liga teams.
Barcelona
Barcelona’s home stadium is Camp Nou, located in Barcelona. It is one of the largest football stadiums in Europe and one of the most famous clubs in the world. Their fans are spread all over the world.
Espanyol
Espanyol is also based in Barcelona, so their matches against Barcelona are known as the “Catalan Derby.” These local derbies are always particularly lively.
Girona
Girona is located in eastern Catalonia, near the French border. They are the easternmost team in La Liga. In recent years, their performance has been improving steadily.
3. Valencian Community: Two teams on the Mediterranean coast
The Valencian Community has two La Liga teams, both located on the Mediterranean coast.
Valencia
Valencia’s home stadium is Mestalla Stadium, a historic venue. The team is nicknamed the “Bat Army” because their crest features a bat.
Villarreal
Villarreal is located in Castellón province. Although the city is not large, the team has performed well in European competitions and has even reached the semifinals of the Champions League.
4. Basque Country: A symbol of tradition and culture
The Basque Country has its own language and culture, and the teams here also have strong local characteristics.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao is based in Bilbao, the capital of Biscay Province. This team has a special tradition: it only uses local Basque players. This has earned them a high status among the local people.
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad is based in San Sebastián, in the province of Gipuzkoa. The team has performed well in La Liga in recent years and is gaining increasing attention.
Alavés
Alavés is based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the province of Álava. This is the administrative center of the Basque Country, and Alavés is an important local team.
5. Other regions also have many teams
In addition to the regions mentioned above, there are also some La Liga teams located in other parts of Spain.
Osasuna (Navarre)
Osasuna is based in Pamplona, the capital of Navarre. This city hosts the famous Running of the Bulls festival every year, attracting large numbers of tourists.
Valladolid (Castile and León)
Valladolid is located in the Castile and León Autonomous Community, one of the largest regions in Spain. Valladolid is the main football team in this region.
Andalusia Autonomous Community
Andalusia is the second largest autonomous community in Spain and is home to two strong football teams:
- Sevilla: This team has performed well in the Europa League, winning the title multiple times.
- Real Betis: Betis and Sevilla play a local derby called the “Sevilla Derby,” which is very heated.
Galicia
Galicia is located in the northwest of Spain, and its only representative team is Celta Vigo.
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean, not far from the African continent. The team here is Las Palmas, and the island where they are based is called Gran Canaria.
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are located in the Mediterranean Sea, and Mallorca is a popular tourist destination. Mallorca FC is based here, adding even more vitality to this beautiful island.
6. Some interesting geographical locations
Some teams are located in particularly interesting places:
- Las Palmas: This is the only La Liga team located in the Atlantic Ocean, with its home stadium on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
- Mallorca: They are based on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, some distance from the Spanish mainland, but remain a force to be reckoned with in the league.
- Girona: This is the easternmost team in La Liga, close to the French border, symbolizing Spain’s connection with other European countries.
Conclusion: Every team has its own story
From the bustling capital of Madrid to the remote Atlantic islands, the 2024-2025 La Liga season showcases the culture and football spirit of all parts of Spain.Whether they are historic giants or up-and-coming underdogs, they all carry the pride of their cities onto the pitch, delivering thrilling matches for fans.
That is the charm of La Liga: it is not just a sports event, but a bond connecting different regions across Spain.
