Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Spanish Super Cup- Why Are Barcelona & Real Madrid Playing In Saudi Arabia?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Emmanuel Mendez | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 12:12 PM ET

The Spanish Super Cup once again will be played in Saudi Arabia this Janaury and this week, the two semifinals will be played.

The matches will be played at the Alinma Bank Stadium in King Abdullah Sport City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The four teams involved this year are FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Atletico Madrid.

Today, January 7, 2026, FC Barcelona will take on Athletic Bilbao, and tomorrow, January 8, 2026, Real Madrid will take on Atletico Madrid.

Last year, FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup Final, where they won 5-2 in the final in Saudi Arabia.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen goalkeeper of Barcelona and Germany lifts the trophy after winning with his team the Spanish Super Cup final match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona at King Abdullah Sports City on January 12, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A big question that many wonder about this short tournament is why it is played in Saudi Arabia and not in Spain like before.

The Spanish Super Cup has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020, apart from 2021, which was held in Sevilla during the pandemic.

Why Barcelona & Real Madrid play in Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup

The Spanish Football Federation reportedly received an undisclosed sum of money from the Saudi Arabian government to host the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in January.

This was announced in November 2019, and it was initially a three-year deal to host the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 2021, the agreement with Saudi Arabia was extended for ten years.

The Spanish Super Cup is expected to be held in Saudi Arabia for a few more years, with January 2029 potentially being the last year it is hosted in the Middle East.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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