Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad takes place at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in the rearranged La Liga Matchday 1 fixture. Kick-off is set for 9:00 p.m. CEST, or 8:00 p.m. BST. Real Madrid will play their first home league game of the season after opening the campaign with a 2-1 win away to Espanyol.
Real Sociedad, meanwhile, arrive in Madrid after losing 1-0 to Real Betis. The fixture was moved from its original date because several Real Madrid players were still involved in the 2026 World Cup.
José Mourinho will lead Real Madrid into his first competitive home match since returning to the club. Pellegrino Matarazzo will take charge of Real Sociedad as both teams look to improve their early league position.
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Team News
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad will see Mourinho manage a squad affected by early injuries. Éder Militão and Rodrygo are unavailable, while Ferland Mendy, Raúl Asencio and Thiago Pitarch are also sidelined according to the match information supplied. Real Madrid started the season with a 2-1 win at Espanyol, with new signing Carlos Espí scoring the 90th-minute winner. Jude Bellingham had earlier put Madrid ahead before Espanyol equalized.
Real Sociedad began with a 1-0 defeat against Real Betis. Mikel Oyarzabal is among the key players available to Matarazzo, while Álvaro Odriozola remains out with a long-term knee injury. Gonçalo Guedes and Pablo Marín faced fitness checks before the match.
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Lineups and Key Numbers
The confirmed Real Madrid lineup includes Thibaut Courtois, Denzel Dumfries, Álvaro Carreras, Federico Valverde, Ibrahima Konaté, Dean Huijsen, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior. Mourinho has selected a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Real Sociedad’s starting team includes Álex Remiro, Jon Aramburu, Sergio Gómez, Carlos Soler, Igor Zubeldia, Jon Martín, Takefusa Kubo, Yangel Herrera, Orri Steinn Óskarsson and Luka Sučić, with the final attacking position listed for Gonçalo Guedes in the confirmed lineup. Matarazzo also uses a 4-2-3-1 shape. Oyarzabal is among the substitutes.
Real Madrid have won four of their last five meetings with Real Sociedad. Their most recent meeting at the Bernabéu ended in a 4-1 Real Madrid victory in February 2026, with Vinícius Júnior scoring twice. The teams also played out a 4-4 Copa del Rey draw in April 2025.
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad: How to Watch and Match Details
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad kicks off at 9:00 p.m. CEST at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid’s official schedule confirms the match was postponed from Matchday 1 because of World Cup commitments.
In Spain, the match is listed on Orange TV and Movistar LaLiga. Viewers outside Spain can also follow the match through regional broadcasters. Fans in the UK can use Premier Sports or LaLigaTV, while DAZN has coverage in Italy and Germany.
In the US, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes will carry La Liga, with TSN+ serving viewers in Canada. beIN Sports covers the Middle East and North Africa, while SuperSport provides La Liga coverage across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad: How to Watch Today as Madrid’s Injury Problems Grow