Real Madrid begin their quest for a record-extending 14th Spanish Super Cup title this Thursday, January 8, 2026, as they face city rivals Atletico Madrid in the semi-final.
The “Whites” arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in excellent form under manager Xabi Alonso, following a commanding 5-1 victory over Real Betis at the weekend.
Despite trailing Barcelona in the league, Los Blancos have a formidable record in this competition, reaching the final in all five previous editions held in Saudi Arabia.
However, the team faces a major setback as star forward Kylian Mbappé is ruled out with a knee injury. In his absence, the goal-scoring burden will fall on Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, who remains a key figure in Alonso’s tactical setup.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid, led by the long-serving Diego Simeone, are hunting for their third Super Cup trophy and their first piece of silverware since 2021.
The “Colchoneros” enter the derby unbeaten in their last five matches, though a recent 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad slowed their momentum.
Atletico have been a persistent thorn in Real’s side lately, winning their last encounter 5-2 in September and losing only two of the last ten derbies. Simeone will look to Julián Alvarez and Alexander Sørloth to exploit any gaps in the Madrid defense.
With a place in the final against Barcelona at stake, Atletico are highly motivated to overcome their recent semi-final “demons” in this competition.
Match Details and Kick-off Time
The Real Madrid v. Atletico Madrid game will kick off at 7:00 PM GMT. For fans in other regions, the match timings are as follows:
- Saudi Arabia (Local): 10:00 PM
- Egypt (GMT +2): 9:00 PM
- Spain: 8:00 PM CET
- United Kingdom: 7:00 PM GMT
- United States (Eastern Time): 2:00 PM EST
The match will be held at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (also known as Alinma Bank Stadium) in Jeddah.
TV Channels for Real Madrid v. Atletico Madrid
United Kingdom: Live coverage is available on TNT Sports 1.
Spain: The match will be broadcast on Movistar Plus+ and Movistar Supercopa de España.
United States: Available to stream via ESPN+ and ABC/ESPN Deportes.
International: The game will also be shown on DAZN (selected regions), Sport TV (Portugal), and L’Équipe Live Foot (France).
Live Streaming and Digital Options
- UK: discovery+ app for TNT Sports subscribers.
- US: ESPN+ is the primary streaming home for the Spanish Super Cup.
- Spain: Movistar+ app for mobile and smart TV viewing.
- Global: RM Play (Real Madrid’s official platform) will provide match highlights and behind-the-scenes content.
Why the Madrid Derby Matters
This semi-final is more than just a path to a trophy; it is a clash of identities between Alonso’s free-scoring Madrid and Simeone’s disciplined Atletico.
With the winner set to face Barcelona in the final, the stakes could not be higher for both clubs as they seek an early-season psychological boost.
