HE draw for the second round Copa del Rey is being celebrated kicks off this Wednesday at 13.00 at Las Rozas Football City after the last draw between Atzeneta and Real Zaragoza had to be postponed because of a storm that affected travel and scheduling across multiple venues. The organizers are coordinating a careful plan to ensure smooth proceedings, with fans keen to see which teams will advance and how the brackets will unfold as the competition moves into a more intense phase.
The 55 teams that qualified through the first round will participate in the official draw taking place in the hall named after Luis Aragonés. This stage marks a milestone for Amorebieta, the Federation Cup champion who began his journey in this tournament and has since grown into a respected club within the Spanish football hierarchy. A total of 28 qualifying matches are scheduled for December 5, 6 and 7, with several heavyweight clubs absent from the second round, including Barça, Real Madrid, Osasuna and Atlético de Madrid. One participant in the upcoming rounds enjoys exemption from this phase as the holder of a trophy in another competition, reflecting the cross-competition prestige that shapes this national cup tournament. The organizers remind everyone that lower-category teams should seek to test themselves against higher-league opponents whenever possible, a principle that enriches the competition and gives smaller clubs a platform to demonstrate their quality and resilience. There is some ambiguity in the schedule as Granada’s alignment issues create a ripple effect, but the process continues with clear intent and an emphasis on fair play and opportunity for all involved clubs.
It is useful to remember that teams from lower divisions should be matched against higher-tier opponents whenever the draw permits, because those matchups provide valuable experience and exposure for players and clubs alike. No regional category teams qualified for this second round, but remarkable clubs such as Atzeneta and Astorga, along with Arosa, are navigating the path through the rounds in the absence of definitive confirmation regarding Granada’s alignment status. The aim is to maintain competitive balance while spotlighting talent from across the country, ensuring fans witness drama and memorable moments regardless of the level of the club involved.
The clubs in the fifth category will be among the earliest to learn their fates as they prepare to face one of 15 LaLiga EA Sports teams, mirroring the structure seen in the second RFEF and the qualified First RFEF clubs who have already punched their tickets through the prior rounds. This system mirrors the broader competitive ecosystem, where each rung of Spanish football contributes to a vibrant ecosystem of clubs that aspire to challenge the top tier. In this second phase, one of the ten First RFEF clubs that advanced will find themselves drawn against a fifth-category opponent, highlighting the inclusivity of the cup format and the opportunity for a surprise result to capture collective imagination.
The remaining matches in the third category of Spanish football will pit teams against one another from the same tier in some of the most unpredictable fixtures, featuring 17 Second division clubs and other groups that add to the richness of the knockout structure. In some cases, four matches will occur between two teams from the same category within LaLiga Hypermotion, creating potential upsets and narrative threads that fans will discuss for weeks. The event continues to emphasize competitive balance, sporting merit, and the chance for underdog stories to emerge on a national stage.
Teams that will advance to the second round of Copa del Rey
- LaLiga EA Sports: Alavés, Almería, Athletic, Betis, Cádiz, Celta, Getafe, Girona, Granada, Las Palmas, Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Valencia and Villarreal
- LaLiga Hyper Movement: Alcorcón, Amorebieta, Cartagena, Burgos, Eibar, Elche, Eldense, Espanyol, Ferrol, Huesca, Leganés, Levante, Mirandés, Oviedo, Sporting, Tenerife and Valladolid
- First RFEF: Antequera, Arenteiro, Castellón, Deportivo, Linares, Lugo, Malaga, Melilla, Sestao River and Unionistas
- Second RFEF: Andratx, Arandina, Barbastro, Cayón, Orihuela, Terrassa, Tudelano, Valle Egüés, Villanovense, Yeclano and Zamora
- Third RFEF: Astorga, Arosa and Atzeneta