La Liga Confirms Referees for 2025/26 Season, New Faces Join Top Tier

Spanish La Liga Referee

La Liga has officially confirmed the 20 referees who will officiate matches in the 2025/26 season, with newcomers Iosu Galech, José Luis Guzmán, and Miguel Sesma stepping up to the top tier. The announcement comes as Spain’s premier football league kicks off today, August 15, 2025, with the opening fixtures Girona vs Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal vs Oviedo.

In an effort to protect match officials and ensure fairness, La Liga will now reveal referee appointments only 24 hours before each game. The league says this system is designed to increase transparency and shield referees from pressure from clubs, fans, and other external influences, especially during high-stakes matches.

Full List of Referees for the 2025/26 Season

The full roster of referees, including their commonly used two-initial identifiers, is as follows:

1. Jesús Gil (Gil Manzano)

2. César Soto (Soto Grado)

3. Mateo Busquets (Busquets Ferrer)

4. Javier Alberola (Alberola Rojas)

5. Ricardo de Burgos (Burgos Bengoetxea)

6. Alejandro José Hernández (Hernández Hernández)

7. Alejandro Muñiz (Muñiz Ruiz)

8. José Luis Munuera (Munuera Montero)

9. José María Sánchez (Sánchez Martínez)

10. Adrian Cordero (Cordero Vega)

11. Guillermo Cuadra (Cuadra Fernández)

12. Isidro Díaz de Mera (Díaz de Mera Escuderos)

13. Iosu Galech (Galech Priest) – new promotion

14. Victor Garcia (García Verdura)

15. José Luis Guzmán (Guzmán Mansilla) – new promotion

16. Francisco Hernández (Hernández Maeso)

17. Juan Martínez (Martínez Munuera)

18. Miguel Ángel Ortiz (Ortiz Arias)

19. Alejandro Quintero (Quintero González)

20. Miguel Sesma (Sesma Espinosa) – new promotion

The addition of Galech, Guzmán, and Sesma reflects La Liga’s commitment to nurturing young officiating talent while maintaining a solid foundation of experienced referees capable of managing high-pressure encounters.

Balancing Experience and Fresh Talent

Veteran referees such as Gil Manzano, Soto Grado, and Busquets Ferrer bring years of experience in top-flight Spanish football, having officiated El Clásico matches, title-deciding fixtures, and Copa del Rey finals. Their presence ensures stability and consistency in crucial games.

Meanwhile, the newcomers will face their first opportunities to prove themselves at the highest level, which can be pivotal for their careers and the league’s development pipeline. Iosu Galech, for instance, has been praised for his composure in the Segunda División and could quickly become a mainstay if his performances impress in La Liga.

Strategic Referee Appointments

By disclosing referee assignments only 24 hours before matches, La Liga aims to prevent lobbying, reduce undue influence, and preserve the integrity of officiating. This approach is particularly important in tightly contested matches where title contenders, European qualification spots, and relegation battles are at stake.

Analysts suggest that early-season fixtures will be an important test for both veteran and newly promoted referees. With clubs and players eager to make strong starts, referees’ decision-making, positioning, and ability to manage high-intensity games will be under scrutiny.

As the 2025/26 La Liga season unfolds, fans and pundits alike will be monitoring how the referees handle controversial moments, VAR interventions, and the evolving pace of Spanish football. The blend of experience and fresh talent provides optimism that officiating will match the high standards expected in one of Europe’s elite leagues.

With the season officially underway, all eyes will be on how these 20 referees influence matches, ensure fairness, and contribute to a competitive and transparent La Liga campaign.