Liga de Fútbol Profesional commonly known as the Primera División, is the professional football league in Spain. It is considered to be one of the best leagues in the world.  Nine clubs have been crowned Campeones de Liga. Since the 1950s, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have dominated the competition. The former have been champions 30 times while the latter have won it on 18 occasions. However during the 1930s and 1940s and in more recent seasons, the Primera Liga has been more competitive. Other winners include Valencia CF, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla FC, Deportivo de La Coruña, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Real Betis.

The Primera Liga is currently first in the UEFA rankings of European leagues based on their performances in European competitions over a five-year period, ahead of the English Premier League in second and the Serie A in third. The 2005–06 average attendance of 29,029 for league matches is the sixth highest of any domestic professional sports league in the world. In professional football (soccer) leagues Primera Liga was third-highest, behind the Bundesliga in first and the Premier League in second.

Champions Since 1990
1989-90 Real Madrid
1990-91 FC Barcelona
1991-92 FC Barcelona
1992-93 FC Barcelona
1993-94 FC Barcelona
1994-95 Real Madrid
1995-96 Atlético Madrid
1996-97 Real Madrid
1997-98 FC Barcelona
1998-99 FC Barcelona
1999-00 Deportivo de La Coruña
2000-01 Real Madrid
2001-02 Valencia CF
2002-03 Real Madrid
2003-04 Valencia CF
2004-05 FC Barcelona
2005-06 FC Barcelona
2006-07 Real Madrid
2007-08 Real Madrid
2008-09 FC Barcelona

Stadiums from clubs competing in 2008/09...For an overview of where the clubs play in Spain go to Footiemap.com to access their excellent Spanish Football overview map.

Planning on going to a game in Spain?  Our partners at Main Event are one of the leading ticket agencies in Spain, and are official agents for Barcelona.  They can provide tickets for almost every game at the Camp Nou, with prices starting from €60.

Barcelona - Camp Nou Capacity:98,772
One of the most famous clubs in the world, yet on a European stage they have failed to deliver the honours.  The Nou Camp is one of the most famous stadiums in the world and will soon grow by another 20,000 seats. Click here for more details. 

Real Madrid Santiago Bernabéu Capacity:80,400
The most successful club side in the world over the last few decades, and currently enjoying domestic success.  The Bernabeu is one of the most famous stadiums in the world.  Click here for more info. 

Espanyol Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Capacity:55,926
The Olympic Stadium hosted the summer games in 1992 and is currently home to Espaynol, although they are due to move soon.  Click here for more details of football in Barcelona. 

Atlético Madrid Vicente Calderón Stadium
Capacity:54,851
Madrid's 2nd team who have failed to gain any recent success.  Click here for more details. 

Valencia Mestalla
Capacity: 53,311
Valencia have recently enjoyed the most successful period in their history with 2 Champions League finals, a UEFA Cup victory, 2 La Liga titles and some excellent football.  The Mestalla is one of the most atmospheric in Spain - although it may be soon be demolished.  Click here for more details on Valencia.

Real Betis Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera
Capacity: 52,700
Traditionalluy seen as Seville's bigger club but recent events have seen them firmly in the back seat.  They have won La Liga on one occasion.  President L'Opera has redeveloped the stadium, although it is yet to be finished.  Click here for more details on football in Sevilla.

Sevilla FC Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán
Capacity: 45,500
Without a doubt the form team in Spain over the past few years, with back to back UEFA Cup victories, the Super Cup and the Copa Del Rey.  Coach Ramos has now moved onto Spurs, so the bubble may be about to burst. Click here for more details on football in Sevilla.

Athletic Bilbao San Mamés Capacity:39,750
One of Spain's oldest clubs, and still to be relegated from the top league.  Their stadium is affectionately known as the Cathedral.  Click here for details on Bilbao. 

Deportivo de La Coruña Riazor Capacity: 34,600
A few seasons ago, Deportivo were on the brink of breaking the Barcelona/Madrid monopoly and came within a goal of making the Champions League final.  Now fallen back into mid-table.  The Riazor is also suffering as average attendances have fallen to the 16,000 mark. 

CD Malaga - La Rosadela Capacity: 28,900 Back in the big time again after a four year absence.  At least this time they will not have to spend money on the stadium and can try and keep their young squad together.  More details can be found here.

Sporting Gijon - El Molinon Capacity: 25,885 After eleven years in the second division, the club finally made it back in 2008.  The stadium is the oldest in Spain, dating back 100 years.Ticket cost €30. Good old fashioned English style ground. 
Great atmosphere and if they get promoted will have trouble getting a ticket.

Real Valladolid Estadio José Zorrilla
Capacity: 26,512
One of the yo-yo clubs in the La Liga who seem to spend most of their seasons around the lower end of the league.  Located 100 miles north of Madrd in the barren areas of Castilla. Ticket cost €20. A crap town with nothing to do. Wish I’d stayed in Salamanca instead.  The ground is a 40 minute walk from town. Taxi cost €8. There is a retail park by the ground. The only bar is in the tennis club.

CD Numancia - Los Pajaritos Capacity: 9,700 Back in the top flight and continuing their recent yo-yoing between the two leagues.  They have the smallest stadium in top flight La Liga football.

RCD Mallorca ONO Estadi
Capacity: 23,142
Still holding their own in the top league despite dwindling attendances and a lack of investment.  One of the best places to watch football when the sun is shining although attendances still struggle to get above 15,000.  Click here for more details on football in Mallorca.

Villarreal CF Estadio El Madrigal
Capacity: 23,000
Recently broken into the traditional top 4 and have appeared in a Champions League semi-final on two occasions.  The "yellow submarine" is located 90 miles north of Valencia.  Ticket cost €5 (Special Offer). Stayed in Castello. 10 minutes on the train. Good club shop. A couple of bars by the ground.

Racing Santander Estadio El Sardinero
Capacity: 22,271
Another club that has been used to playing at the lower levels.  They have recorded a few notable victories in the past few seasons.  The average just over 16,000.  Click here for more details on watching football in Santandar.

Recreativo Huelva Nuevo Colombino
Capacity: 21,600
Another new club on the block, Huelva is known for two teams (RC and Cuidad) although it is the former who seem to have the most staying power in the league. 
Ticket cost €50. Great atmosphere but the town is very quiet.  Not much to do here and the ground is a 20 minute walk. You can catch a bus from Seville to Huelva.

Osasuna Estadio Reyno de Navarra
Capacity: 19,800
It is only two seasons ago since Osasuna nearly spent the whole season in the top four and qualified for the Champions League.  The club are based in the small town of Pamplona in northern Spain, more famous for the annual Bull Run. 

Getafe CF Coliseum Alfonso Pérez
Capacity: 16,300
Madrid's 3rd team who have an amazing debut season in 2006 when they managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup after reaching the Copa del Rey final.  Click here for more details on watching football in Madrid.

UD Almería Mediterraneo Stadium
Capacity: 15,000
A club that have recently been promoted and enjoying life in their brand new stadium on the edge of town.  One of the best supported teams in the lower leagues.  Ticket cost €45 and is the cheapest ticket!  They only have a few tickets available on sale as most of the Ground is full up with season ticket holders.  There is a small club shop by the main entrance.  This is on the edge of town. Drove from Alicante which 3 hours away.  Loads of Parking (Costs €1).

Other Stadiums that you may be interested in - comments thanks to Steve Palmer

Albacete - Estadio Carlos Belmonte - Capacity - 17,300 All Seater
Stayed at Hotel Castilla this is close to the station.  Ticket cost €40. Ground is 20 minutes walk from the town centre.

Almeria / C D Hercules - Estadio Jose Rico Pevez - Capacity - 29,584 All Seater
Alicante & Hercules both play at the same ground. 20 minutes walking from the town centre.  No bars by the ground and Alicante have a very small club shop. 
Hercules has a lot of stalls selling merchandise.  Hercules Ticket cost €15.  Alicante cost €10.

Athletic Baleras - Estadio Balear - Capacity - 15,000 All Seater
Ticket cost €10. You pass this ground from the airport. 
Taxi takes 5 minutes and costs €10 from the centre.

CD Benidorm - Municipal de Foietes - Capacity 6,000 All Seater
Ticket cost €14.  Drove there from Alicante. Full of Brit pubs. Is a bit of a shit hole but the ground has one of the most scenic backdrops that I have ever seen.  There is a Car park out the front. Takes 1 hour from Alicante. No Bars or Club shop at the ground.

Cadiz CF - Esradio Ramon de Carranza - Capacity 22,000 All Seater
Ticket cost €29. Stayed in a hostel by the station. Nice town. Not many bars by the ground. 
There is a supermarket opposite the ground. They also do a great program as well.  Good club shop and great atmosphere.

Celta Vigo - Estadio Balaidos - Capacity 31,800
Ticket cost €35. Stayed at the Hotel Galia. 5 minutes from the station.  The ground is a 30 minute walk. Vigo is a nice town with a great bar called Quadraphina - Which show the film all night!  Went for the derby game. Atmosphere was ok. Deportivo made the most noise.

Elche CF - Estadio Martinez Valero - Capacity - 38,740 All Seater
Ticket cost €30. Stayed at the Tryp Hotel. The ground is 10 minutes in a cab costing €10 from centre. There is a club shop and a bar at the ground. Loads of car parking space as well. One of the best nights out I’ve had in Spain. Everyone seems to go to the Irish English bar.

Gimnastic Tarragona - Nou Estadi - Capacity - 15,000 All Seater
Ticket cost €30. Stayed at the Urbis Centre Hotel. Very quiet town. 30 minutes walk from the centre.  2 bars by the ground and a few stalls selling merchandise.

CD Logrones - Nuevo Las Gaunas - Capacity - 14,895 All Seater
Ticket cost €15. Got a bus from Vitoria. Takes 1 hour 30 minutes.
The ground is on the outskirts but you can see it from the main road.
Takes 15 minutes walking from the bus station.  1 Bar and a small club shop. Only 2 sides of the ground open.

UD Marbella - Municipal de Marbella - Capacity - 7,000 All seater
15 minutes from the town centre.

Real Oviedo - Nuevo Carlos Tatiere - Capacity - 30,000 All Seater
Ticket cost €15. 25 minutes from the station. Stayed at the Tryp which is between the train and Bus stations.
They get about 1,000 fans in a 30,000 seater ground. No atmosphere.

UD Salamanca - Estadio El Helmantico - Capacity - 17,341 All Seater
Ticket cost €10. Took a cab from the station €10. Takes 5 minutes. 2 miles out of town. There are a couple of bars and a shop at the ground.  The nicest looking place in Spain.

Real Zaragoza La Romareda
Capacity: 34,594
Always been at the fringes of success, taking the odd Copa del Rey but relegated against all of the odds at the end of the 2007/08 season.  Click here for details on Zaragoza.

Real Murcia Estadio Nueva Condomina
Capacity: 33,045
One of the three teams relegated at the end of the 2007/08 season in their brand new impressive stadium.

Levante UD Estadio Ciudad de Valencia
Capacity: 25,354
Valencia's 2nd team located close to the seafront.  Returned to the top league in 2004 for the first time in years, although their stay was brief.  They were back in the top division again in 2007, again only for one season as they were relegated in last place.  Click here for more details on Valencia.

Zerex - Deportivo - Estadio Ramon de Carranza - 22,000 All Seater
Ticket cost €20. Stayed at the hotel Tierras de Jerez. But the best one to stay at is AC Jerez which is next to the ground.  You can open the window and watch the second half. 
Loads of bars around the ground. There are also a few stalls selling merchandise.  Jerez takes 1 hour by train or bus from Seville. Takes 20 minutes to walk to the ground.  Good atmosphere. A family season ticket costs €110 for 2 adults and 2 kids!  There is an English bar on Canterbury Avenue which is good for English football.

All Photos on this page (except Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Espanyol) courtosey of Worldstadiums.com