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Barcelona's Spanish forward #10 Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring his team's seventh goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Racing Santander at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 16, 2026. (Photo by Lluis GENE / AFP via Getty Images)
For the first time in its history, ABC will broadcast a regular-season El Clásico. On October 25, Barcelona and Real Madrid will face off at Spotify Camp Nou with the match airing live on the major broadcast network, marking a significant step forward for La Liga’s visibility in the United States.
A Big Stage for the Biggest Rivalry In Club Football Today
El Clásico has long been one of the most-watched club matches in world soccer. Putting it on ABC — a free, over-the-air network available in nearly every American home — represents a clear statement of ambition from both La Liga and Disney-owned ESPN, which holds the U.S. rights.
This will be the third La Liga match to appear on ABC this season. Earlier this month, Real Madrid’s season opener against Espanyol drew 811,000 viewers on the network, while Barcelona’s opener against Elche averaged an impressive 1 million viewers — the highest-rated English-language La Liga match ever on ESPN’s platforms. Those strong numbers clearly encouraged the decision to elevate the biggest game of the Spanish season to broadcast television.
Growing La Liga’s Footprint
ESPN secured La Liga rights in 2021 in an eight-year deal and has steadily increased the league’s linear television presence. While every match streams on ESPN+, the company has expanded the number of games shown on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. Last season, La Liga matches across those platforms averaged 91,000 viewers, with the May El Clasico reaching 1.3 million across all ESPN outlets.
Placing the October Clasico on ABC continues that upward trajectory. It also gives casual sports fans — those without ESPN+ or cable packages — easy access to one of soccer’s marquee events.
Context in the U.S. Soccer TV Landscape
The move carries extra weight when viewed alongside the rest of the American sports television landscape. It brings in the 4th “big” American broadcasting network into the soccer fold. Fox holds the rights to the FIFA World Cup, NBC has built a strong identity around the Premier League, and CBS holds the rights to the UEFA Champions League. La Liga’s appearance on ABC carves out valuable real estate on a major broadcast network and signals that Spanish soccer is no longer confined to niche or streaming-only audiences.
For U.S. fans, the practical impact is simple: on October 25, they will be able to watch the biggest club rivalry in the world without a subscription, simply by turning on their television. In a crowded sports media market, that kind of accessibility matters.
ABC’s decision to air El Clasico is more than a one-off programming choice. It reflects growing confidence in La Liga’s American audience and a willingness to put the league’s flagship match in front of the widest possible viewership. For a competition still building its mainstream profile in the United States, that is wonderful progress.
‘El Clásico’ Coming to ABC Network: A Landmark Moment for La Liga in the U.S.