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After 14 years in the wilderness, the northern giants are back — and they’re not coming alone.
Say hello to the Class of ’26: a legendary founding father hungry for respect, a fallen superpower ready to resurrect its glory, and a phoenix club that clawed its way out of the financial grave straight to the promised land.
La Liga isn’t just getting three new teams next season — it’s getting three sleeping dragons who just woke up breathing fire.
From Sardinero to Riazor to La Rosaleda, the 2026/27 campaign is about to get loud, historic, and straight-up dangerous for anyone caught sleeping on the newly promoted.
In this post, FootballOrbit presents you with the newly promoted clubs to the Spanish top tier for the 2026/27 campaign.
Before diving deeper, here’s a quick look at the new arrivals.
| Club | Promotion Route | Stadium | Manager |
| Racing Santander | Segunda División Champions | Campos de Sport de El Sardinero (22,222) | José Alberto López |
| Deportivo La Coruña | Automatic Promotion (2nd) | Estadio ABANCA-RIAZOR (32,660) | Antonio Hidalgo |
| Málaga CF | Promotion Play-off Winners | La Rosaleda Stadium (30,044) | Juan Francisco Funes |
The 14-Year Exile Ends: Why Racing Santander’s return is La Liga’s best comeback story
Founded in 1913, Racing Santander isn’t just another promoted side — they’re one of the ten founding members of La Liga, carrying more than a century of football history.
However, their journey back was far from being straight-forward, it was indeed long and hard-earned:
Racing ended a painful 14-year absence by winning the 2025/26 Segunda División title outright, mathematically sealing promotion on May 16, 2026, with a 4-1 demolition of Real Valladolid.
For supporters, it represented years of patience, rebuilding and unwavering belief finally paying off.
Now, the green-and-white shirts return to where many believe they’ve always belonged.
Green Machine on a Mission: Inside José Alberto’s high-pressure, high-velocity system
Manager José Alberto López has transformed Racing’s identity. His team refuses to sit deep and wait—they press relentlessly, recover possession quickly and attack with purpose, turning every loose ball into another vertical assault.
Hence, that aggressive style overwhelmed Segunda División opponents all season, including a dominant 4-0 win over Eibar that showed exactly how devastating Racing can be when everything clicks.
Though, the challenge in La Liga will be greater, but fearless football often troubles technically superior teams—especially when promoted sides play without fear.
Captain, Leader, Legend: The Íñigo Sainz-Maza era has finally hit the big time
Every promotion story has its heartbeat. For Racing Santander, that’s captain Íñigo Sainz-Maza.
The experienced midfielder has become the symbol of the club’s resurgence, providing leadership, tactical intelligence and composure whenever Racing need control in midfield.
While bigger names may arrive before the season begins, supporters know Sainz-Maza is the emotional leader who guided the club back to the top flight.
Who’s Ready for El Sardinero Chaos? The tiny fortress primed to swallow giants
Capacity isn’t everything. Campos de Sport de El Sardinero holds just over 22,000 supporters, yet it can generate an intimidating atmosphere.
Fans sit close to the pitch, noise echoes through the ground, and momentum builds fast whenever Racing start pressing high.
Therefore, several Spanish giants could leave Santander with far fewer points than expected.
From Super Depor to Super Again: The Galician giant is back where it truly belongs
Few clubs have experienced highs and lows quite like Deportivo La Coruña.
Founded in 1906, Deportivo reached legendary status by winning La Liga in 1999/2000 and lifting two Copa del Rey titles during the unforgettable “Super Depor” era.
Notwithstanding, relegation and financial turmoil followed, keeping them out of the spotlight for eight years.
Football always loves a redemption story. By finishing second in the Segunda División, Deportivo secured automatic promotion after beating Real Valladolid 2-0 on the penultimate matchday.
Now, one of Spain’s most historic clubs returns to the country’s biggest domestic stage.
The Riazor Roar Returns: 32,000 believers ready to shake the top flight
There are few sights in Spanish football quite like a packed Riazor.
More than 32,000 supporters will once again welcome La Liga’s elite, and that atmosphere alone could become one of Deportivo’s greatest strengths.
Furthermore, the blue-and-white stripes carry enormous tradition, and every home match now feels like a celebration of survival.
However, for opponents, it could become one of the toughest away trips on the calendar.
Antonio Hidalgo’s Chessboard: How possession poison is coming for La Liga’s elite
Antonio Hidalgo prefers intelligence over chaos. His Deportivo side builds patiently from the back, circulates possession confidently, and stretches opponents with wide overloads before sudden combinations unlock defensive lines.
The system demands technical quality and tactical discipline — both of which were evident throughout the promotion campaign, including a commanding 4-0 win over Huesca that perfectly illustrated Hidalgo’s philosophy.
If executed successfully in La Liga, Deportivo could frustrate even Spain’s strongest teams.
Diego Villares & the soul of a club that refused to die
Captain Diego Villares represents everything Deportivo supporters admire: commitment, consistency and humility.
Though, he may not dominate headlines every weekend, but his influence extends far beyond statistics, connecting generations of supporters to a club that refused to disappear despite years of hardship.
As Deportivo prepares for life back in La Liga, Villares’ leadership may prove every bit as valuable as any summer signing.
From Bankruptcy to the Big Time: Málaga CF’s impossible resurrection
Perhaps, none of the promoted club owns a more emotional story than Málaga.
A little over a decade ago, they were thrilling Europe by reaching the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Suddenly, everything collapsed — financial instability triggered relegation, and Málaga eventually dropped into Spain’s third tier.
Many feared the club might never recover.
Instead, they rebuilt patiently, one promotion at a time. Eight years later, they’re back in La Liga after conquering the promotion play-offs, completing one of modern Spanish football’s greatest comeback stories.
Playoff Heart, Playoff Heroes: How Funes’ men turned mayhem into a masterclass
Promotion through the play-offs demands resilience, and Málaga had plenty.
After finishing fourth with 73 points, they defeated Las Palmas 2-1 on aggregate before overcoming Almería by the same scoreline in the final — a tense 0-0 draw at La Rosaleda followed by a 2-1 win away from home in the decisive second leg.
Manager, Juan Francisco Funes, deserves enormous credit. His compact defensive structure frustrated opponents throughout the knockout rounds, and whenever chances appeared, Málaga struck quickly on the counter.
It wasn’t always beautiful, but it was effective — their nine-match unbeaten run and six consecutive league victories showed that momentum arrived at exactly the right time.
Larrubia’s last dance: The winger who scored Málaga back to glory
Every promotion campaign produces unforgettable heroes. Kevin Larrubia became Málaga’s, delivering decisive goals in both the play-off semi-finals and the final and writing his name into club folklore.
Alongside captain Ramón Enríquez and striker Chupete, Larrubia formed the core of a team that never stopped believing — moments Málaga supporters will remember for decades.
La Rosaleda is a fortress again — and nobody wants this road trip
At its peak, La Rosaleda intimidated Europe’s finest clubs, and that atmosphere is slowly returning.
Over 30,000 passionate supporters now have every reason to dream again, and the emotional connection between club and city has been rebuilt after years of suffering.
Moreover, promoted teams often rely heavily on home form to survive — if Málaga turns La Rosaleda into a fortress once more, avoiding relegation becomes a realistic objective.
The Rivalry Reboot: Derbies that could set the table on fire in 26/27
Promotion doesn’t just strengthen La Liga — it revives outstanding rivalries.
Racing Santander’s clashes with Real Oviedo and Athletic Club will once again capture northern Spain’s imagination.
In the same vein, Deportivo’s return guarantees another edition of the fiercely contested Galician Derby against Celta Vigo.
Meanwhile, Málaga’s presence restores major Andalusian battles against Granada while renewing regional contests with Sevilla and Real Betis.
These aren’t just fixtures —they’re emotional occasions that define entire seasons, adding colour, history and intensity to an already spectacular competition.
Final thoughts
Racing Santander return as champions determined to prove they belong among Spain’s elite once again.
Deportivo La Coruña arrive carrying the weight of glorious history and the ambition to restore the legendary “Super Depor” identity.
Also, Málaga complete an extraordinary journey from financial collapse to La Liga, reminding football fans everywhere that hope is never truly lost.
Each club possesses a distinct identity, passionate supporters, and a stadium capable of producing unforgettable nights.
Most importantly, each arrives believing survival is only the beginning. They would strive to avoid the fate of Real Oviedo, who were promoted last season, but got instantly relegated back to the second tier.
The 2026/27 La Liga season won’t simply feature three promoted teams — it will showcase three proud football institutions eager to write the next great chapter in their remarkable histories.
