The official Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad lineups are confirmed for the rescheduled La Liga 2026/27 Matchday 1 fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, 26 August 2026. Both teams start in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Kylian Mbappé leading Real Madrid’s attack and Mikel Oyarzabal starting up front for Real Sociedad. Kenya international Job Ochieng is also named in the Real Sociedad starting XI.
For the wider competition picture, see the La Liga 2026/27 season guide. The latest score, H2H, form and match status are available on the Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad live score, H2H and match updates page.
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad match details
| Match | Competition | Round | Date | Venue | Kick-off (Kenya) |
| Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad | La Liga 2026/27 | Matchday 1 – rescheduled | 26 August 2026 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid | 10:00 PM EAT |
The match follows Real Madrid’s 2-1 opening win at Espanyol and Real Sociedad’s 1-0 defeat at Real Betis. For the build-up before the official XIs were released, read the Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad pre-match team news and H2H.
Official Real Madrid lineup
Formation: 4-2-3-1
| No. | Player | Position |
| 1 | Thibaut Courtois | Goalkeeper |
| 24 | Denzel Dumfries | Right-back |
| 16 | Ibrahima Konaté | Centre-back |
| 4 | Dean Huijsen | Centre-back |
| 18 | Álvaro Carreras | Left-back |
| 20 | Bernardo Silva | Midfielder |
| 8 | Federico Valverde (C) | Midfielder |
| 15 | Arda Güler | Attacking midfielder |
| 5 | Jude Bellingham | Attacking midfielder |
| 7 | Vinícius Júnior | Forward |
| 10 | Kylian Mbappé | Forward |
Real Madrid substitutes
| No. | Player | Position |
| 12 | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Defender |
| 6 | Eduardo Camavinga | Midfielder |
| 29 | Jorge Cestero | Midfielder |
| 36 | Alexis Ciria | Midfielder |
| 17 | Marc Cucurella | Defender |
| 21 | Brahim Díaz | Forward / midfielder |
| 25 | Yan Diomande | Forward |
| 19 | Carlos Espí | Forward |
| 13 | Andriy Lunin | Goalkeeper |
| 26 | Sergio Mestre | Goalkeeper |
| 33 | Mario Rivas | Defender |
| 22 | Antonio Rüdiger | Defender |
Official Real Sociedad lineup
Formation: 4-2-3-1
| No. | Player | Position |
| 1 | Álex Remiro | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Jon Aramburu | Right-back |
| 34 | Luken Beitia | Centre-back |
| 31 | Jon Martín | Centre-back |
| 17 | Sergio Gómez | Left-back |
| 21 | Yangel Herrera | Midfielder |
| 8 | Beñat Turrientes | Midfielder |
| 14 | Takefusa Kubo | Attacking midfielder |
| 24 | Luka Sučić | Attacking midfielder |
| 12 | Job Ochieng | Attacker / midfielder |
| 10 | Mikel Oyarzabal | Forward |
Real Sociedad substitutes
| No. | Player | Position |
| 26 | Ibai Aguirre | Defender |
| 7 | Ander Barrenetxea | Forward / midfielder |
| 11 | Gonçalo Guedes | Forward |
| 28 | Alex Lebarbier | Defender |
| 29 | Alex Marchal | Forward |
| 13 | Unai Marrero | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Aihen Muñoz | Defender |
| 9 | Orri Óskarsson | Forward |
| 16 | Jon Pacheco | Defender |
| 18 | Carlos Soler | Midfielder |
| 23 | Arsen Zakharyan | Midfielder |
| 5 | Igor Zubeldia | Defender |
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad coaches
| Team | Coach |
| Real Madrid | José Mourinho |
| Real Sociedad | Pellegrino Matarazzo |
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad team news and absences
| Team | Player | Status |
| Real Madrid | Raúl Asencio | Muscle injury |
| Real Madrid | Éder Militão | Hamstring injury |
| Real Madrid | Endrick | Muscle injury |
| Real Madrid | Ferland Mendy | Hip injury |
| Real Madrid | Thiago Pitarch | Knee injury |
| Real Madrid | Rodrygo | Knee injury |
| Real Madrid | Aurélien Tchouaméni | Muscle injury |
| Real Sociedad | Jon Gorrotxategi | Groin injury |
| Real Sociedad | Pablo Marín | Injury |
| Real Sociedad | Álvaro Odriozola | Knee injury |
Real Madrid lineup news
José Mourinho names Thibaut Courtois in goal behind a back four of Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, Dean Huijsen and Álvaro Carreras. Bernardo Silva and captain Federico Valverde form the midfield base, with Arda Güler, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior operating behind Kylian Mbappé. For more on the coach beginning his second spell in Madrid, read the José Mourinho profile.
The starting XI also reflects Real Madrid’s summer rebuild, with Dumfries, Konaté and Bernardo among the newer faces in the side. Vinícius remains in the front line after extending his Real Madrid contract, while Yan Diomande is among the substitutes. SportPesa Kenya’s Real Madrid Vinícius and summer squad update has more on those changes.
READ ALSO: Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad: Live Score, Lineups, H2H, Form & Match Updates
Real Sociedad lineup news
Real Sociedad start Álex Remiro in goal, with Jon Aramburu, Luken Beitia, Jon Martín and Sergio Gómez across the back four. Yangel Herrera and Beñat Turrientes form the central midfield pair, while Takefusa Kubo, Luka Sučić and Job Ochieng support captain Mikel Oyarzabal in attack.
Ochieng’s inclusion gives the fixture a direct Kenyan connection. The Nairobi-born player made his historic Spanish top-flight debut earlier in 2026, becoming only the third Kenyan to appear in La Liga. Read more about Job Ochieng’s historic La Liga debut on SportPesa Blog Kenya.
READ ALSO: Real Madrid vs Sociedad La Liga prediction: Match preview, team news, key stats & h2h
Key names in the confirmed starting XIs
| Team | Key starters |
| Real Madrid | Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Thibaut Courtois |
| Real Sociedad | Mikel Oyarzabal, Takefusa Kubo, Luka Sučić, Job Ochieng, Yangel Herrera, Álex Remiro |
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad lineups FAQs
What is Real Madrid’s starting lineup vs Real Sociedad?
Real Madrid start Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Carreras; Bernardo, Valverde; Güler, Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior; Mbappé.
What is Real Sociedad’s starting lineup vs Real Madrid?
Real Sociedad start Remiro; Aramburu, Beitia, Jon Martín, Sergio Gómez; Yangel Herrera, Turrientes; Kubo, Sučić, Job Ochieng; Oyarzabal.
What formations are Real Madrid and Real Sociedad using?
Both teams are listed in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Is Job Ochieng starting for Real Sociedad against Real Madrid?
Yes. Kenya international Job Ochieng is in the confirmed Real Sociedad starting XI and wears number 12.
Who are the Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad coaches?
José Mourinho coaches Real Madrid, while Pellegrino Matarazzo coaches Real Sociedad.
READ ALSO: José Mourinho Biography: Current Club, Coaching Career, Trophies and Latest News
Conclusion
The official Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad lineups put both teams in a 4-2-3-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid start Mbappé, Vinícius, Bellingham and Güler in the attacking unit, while Real Sociedad include Kubo, Sučić, Oyarzabal and Kenya international Job Ochieng. For the live score, match events, confirmed substitutions and in-game statistics, follow SP Score.
Read more on Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and La Liga
- Real Madrid 2025/26 Results: Stats, Highlights & Full Season Scores
- Real Madrid 2025/26 Table & Standings: La Liga & Champions League
- Job Ochieng makes history as Real Sociedad win the Copa del Rey
- Job Ochieng closes in on Real Sociedad contract extension after La Liga debut
- Job Ochieng scores again in Spain for Real Sociedad B