With just two rounds remaining in the 2025-26 La Liga season, the lineup for Spain’s top division in the 2026-27 campaign is still largely undecided. This is largely due to a fierce relegation battle, where up to 12 teams still have a mathematical chance of dropping to Segunda.
As of now, seven teams – Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Celta Vigo, and Getafe – have secured their La Liga status for the upcoming season. Conversely, Real Oviedo has already been relegated. However, on Saturday, another club earned a spot among the elite: Real Racing Club de Santander.
Racing has enjoyed a remarkable season in Segunda, confirming their return to La Liga after a 14-year hiatus. They celebrated this achievement with a convincing 4-1 victory over Real Valladolid at El Sardinero. The goals were scored by Asier Villalibre, Suleiman Camara, and a brace from their top scorer, Andres Martin.
Racing’s Challenging 14 Years Since Last La Liga Appearance
The 2011-12 season marked Racing’s last stint in the top flight of Spanish football. In the intervening years, they spent half of them in the third tier. The club experienced consecutive relegations in the 2012-13 season. Their spells in the First Federation occurred in the 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, and 2021-22 seasons.
Since their return to Segunda in the 2022-23 season, Racing has been on a steady upward trajectory, finishing 12th, 7th, and 5th in the seasons leading up to the current one. They are currently on track to win the 2025-26 championship, a title that could be officially confirmed as early as Sunday if Deportivo La Coruna loses their home match against FC Andorra.
Next season, Racing will have the opportunity to host esteemed clubs such as Barcelona, whom they recently faced in the Copa del Rey this season, as well as Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and other prominent teams. This prospect is sure to be a cause for great excitement among their supporters.
