Saudi Arabia is poised to host the 42nd edition of the Supercopa de España in Jeddah from 7 to 11 January 2026, bringing together Spain’s leading football clubs for a dramatic four-team tournament at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
The competition, which pits the winners and runners-up of La Liga and the Copa del Rey (or, when necessary, the next highest-placed sides), promises to serve both as a showcase for elite Spanish football and a symbol of the growing international reach of the sport.
Barcelona enter the 2026 edition as the reigning champions, having secured both La Liga and the Copa del Rey in the 2024-25 season.
Because the same clubs occupied both top domestic titles, the Supercopa qualification went to the third and fourth placed teams in La Liga, marking the first time since the four-team format was introduced in 2019 that such a substitution was required.
The tournament in Jeddah will follow the familiar knockout format: two semi-final matches, followed by the final. The venue, King Abdullah Sports City, has become a recurring stage for the Supercopa — Saudi Arabia has played host several times in recent years, first welcoming it to its shores in 2020, then repeatedly thereafter.
The history of the Supercopa’s relocation to Saudi Arabia reflects broader trends in global sport, commercialisation, and diplomatic soft power. Originally a modest event contested between just the league and cup winners, the competition was expanded in 2019 to include four teams, increasing its visibility and appeal.
Alongside this format change has come significant financial investment: Saudi Arabia has reportedly committed tens of millions of euros per edition, in exchange for hosting rights and associated benefits. The contract was set to run until 2029 but there are indications from Spanish Football Federation leadership that an extension until 2034 is under consideration.
For many Spanish clubs, especially heavyweights like Barcelona and Real Madrid, the Supercopa has become an early barometer of form and fitness in the winter season. But it has also been a source of controversy.
Critics argue that the travel and timing place strain on players, that the overseas hosting dilutes the connection with domestic fans, and that concerns over governance — including how host rights were negotiated — remain unresolved.
| OFFICIAL: The city of Jeddah will host the Spanish Super Cup for the third time in its history.
Barça will face Athletic Club and Atleti will face Real Madrid in the semis of the first major tournament of 2026. pic.twitter.com/b5k6TNUd7W
— forblaugrana (@forblaugrana) September 29, 2025
The 2025 edition of the Supercopa, held in Jeddah, illustrated both the competition’s spectacle and its capacity for controversy. Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the final after a dramatic match in which they overturned an early goal by Kylian Mbappé. Goals from Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde, among others, secured Barcelona’s then-record 15th title.
However, the edition was also marred by reports from Real Mallorca fans and their families of harassment and security lapses on their way out of the stadium. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) apologized after serious complaints about treatment of fans, especially women, were lodged.
In past statements, Spanish officials have defended the agreement as essential for revenue and visibility; critics counter that those gains must not come at the expense of transparency or fans’ rights.
“Hosting the Supercopa in Saudi Arabia has brought us into a global spotlight,” Rafael Louzán, president of the RFEF, has said in recent interviews, “but we are equally committed to ensuring that every edition of the tournament is safe, fair, and respects the dignity of players and supporters alike.”
Though he has not specifically spoken yet about the 2026 edition, his remarks from earlier seasons speak to ongoing tensions between commercial imperative and sporting tradition.