The Spanish Football Federation announced a new amendment to the Copa del Rey tournament system starting from the 2025/2026 season, aimed at raising the level of competition and giving smaller clubs a greater chance to reach the advanced stages.

The previous system allowed major clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao to participate in the Round of 32, with the possibility of facing each other directly from this round, which led to the early elimination of several smaller teams.

According to the new amendment, the four clubs participating in the Spanish Super Cup (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao) will be placed in a separate pot during the draws for the Round of 32 and Round of 16, ensuring they do not face each other until the quarter-finals.

This change aims to provide smaller clubs the opportunity to host major teams at their home grounds in the later stages, contributing to enhancing the popularity of the tournament and achieving the principle of equal opportunities.

It is worth noting that the upcoming Spanish Super Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia in January 2026, with the same clubs participating.