Overview
- ESPN announced Thursday that ABC will broadcast the regular-season El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona on Oct. 25 from Spotify Camp Nou, with simultaneous feeds on ESPN+ in English and Spanish and on ESPN Deportes.
- The ABC telecast will include a one-hour pregame preview and follow-up digital coverage, and the network says it will base part of its production in Spain.
- ESPN and Disney plan to air at least 20 LaLiga matches this season across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 while keeping all matches available on the ESPN+ streaming service under their eight-year U.S. rights deal secured in 2021.
- Recent U.S. audience data cited by broadcasters — about 811,000 viewers for a Real Madrid opener, roughly 1 million for a Barcelona opener, and 1.3 million for a prior May El Clásico across ESPN outlets — helped justify moving the marquee match to free over-the-air television.
- Putting El Clásico on ABC increases easy access for casual fans who lack subscriptions, raises LaLiga’s profile against other U.S. soccer rights holders, and could shape how future marquee international club matches are scheduled for broadcast TV.