La Liga 2026/27 Promoted Teams: Welcome to the Top Flight

Racing Santander | Champions

The 2026/27 La Liga season welcomes three iconic clubs back into Spain’s top tier after years of competing in the lower divisions. Following a thrilling 2025/26 Segunda División campaign, Racing Santander, Deportivo La Coruña, and Málaga have officially secured their returns to the major league.

Here is everything you need to know about La Liga's newly promoted teams and how long they were away from the top level of Spanish football.

Racing Santander (Champions)

Automatic promotion (Segunda División Champions). They have been away from La Liga 14 Years (Last featured: 2011/12)

Racing Santander became the first club to mathematically confirm their place in the 2026/27 La Liga campaign. Following a long road back through Spain's lower tiers, Los Racinguistas ended a 14-year absence from the top flight, capping off a spectacular domestic campaign under manager José Alberto López.

Deportivo La Coruña (Runner-Up)

Automatic promotion (2nd place). Away from La Liga for 8 years (Last featured: 2017/18)

Former La Liga champions Deportivo La Coruña (Depor) are finally back where many fans feel they belong. After suffering relegation in 2018 and even spending several seasons down in Primera Federación (Spain’s third tier), Deportivo clinched automatic promotion on the penultimate matchday to end their 8-year exile from top-flight football.

Málaga CF (Play-Off Winners)

Promotion by Play-Offs (Defeated Almería 2–1 on aggregate). 8 years away from La Liga (Last featured: 2017/18)

Málaga completed the trio of historic returns by navigating the high-stakes promotion play-offs. After being relegated alongside Deportivo La Coruña at the end of the 2017/18 season—and enduring severe financial restructuring down in the lower divisions—Málaga secured their top-flight comeback with a dramatic play-off final victory over Almería.

Newly Promoted Teams at a Glance

Club	Promotion Route	Last Played in La Liga	Years Away
Racing Santander	Segunda Champions	2011/12	14 Years
Deportivo La Coruña	2nd Place	2017/18	8 Years
Málaga	Play-off Winner	2017/18	8 Years

What to Expect in 2026/27

The return of Racing, Deportivo, and Málaga brings immense tradition, large supporter bases, and historic rivalries back to Spain's top flight. All three clubs face a challenging primary objective for the 2026/27 campaign, consolidating their position in La Liga and avoiding immediate relegation.