Why are La Liga teams wearing retro jerseys this weekend? Spanish clubs with kit nod to heritage and history

Why are La Liga teams wearing retro jerseys this weekend? Spanish clubs with kit nod to heritage and history originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Throwback kits are often favorites of fans across Europe and around the world, but rarely does a whole league bring all its clubs together to enjoy one coordinated retro event.

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That's exactly what will happen in La Liga this weekend as 16 of its 20 top flight clubs and all those in the second tier will be participating in a country-wide initiative to remember the roots of each current member.

Fans will notice that their favorite La Liga club will be sporting a retro kit, along with a few other quirks to Spanish top flight action through early April.

The Sporting News brings you an overview of what this initiative is about and who will be participating.

MORE:An up-to-date list of the La Liga top goal scorers for the 2025/26 season

Why are La Liga clubs wearing retro jerseys this weekend?

Thirty-eight of 42 teams in the top two divisions of Spanish football will wear throwback kits throughout the domestic slate of matches in the second weekend of April.

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From April 10-13, all clubs except four will participate in the La Liga Retro initiative by wearing retro kits to honour the league's history and heritage.

The retro kits were unveiled March 19 at Madrid Fashion Week by Madrid-based photographer Sharon Lopez.

Only Barcelona, Rayo Vallecano, Getafe and Real Madrid will not take part in the festivities. Only Real Madrid are not participating in the initiative at all, while the other three clubs will not wear the kits due to logistical reasons, according to Spanish publication Marca.

There will also be a vintage ball used in all La Liga matches throughout the weekend, including in Real Madrid's match on Friday against Girona. Referees will also wear a special kit, and the graphics used in television broadcasts will be using a retro design.

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What is the La Liga Retro initiative?

The goal of this retro initiative hopes to expose a new generation of league fans to the history of Spanish football.

"It allows us to bring the past into the present while continuing to build experiences and strengthen the legacy that emotionally connects with supporters," said La Liga director Jaime Blanco to the BBC.

"Presenting this collection during Spain's leading fashion week is the perfect platform to project that identity beyond the field and position soccer at the heart of the cultural and creative conversation," he added.

The initiative makes La Liga the first football league in Europe's top five major leagues to create a coordinated retro campaign, something usually reserved for clubs to do themselves.

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La Liga fixtures this weekend

Here are the league's matches this weekend which are involved in the La Liga retro initiative through Matchweek 31.

All times local Central European Time.

Friday, April 10

Real Madrid vs. Girona (9 p.m.)

Saturday, April 11

Real Sociedad vs. Alaves (2 p.m.)

Elche vs. Valencia (4:15 p.m.)

Barcelona vs. Espanyol (6:30 p.m.)

Sevilla vs. Atletico Madrid (9 p.m.)

Sunday, April 12

Osasuna vs. Real Betis (2 p.m.)

Mallorca vs. Rayo Vallecano (4:15 p.m.)

Celta Vigo vs. Real Oviedo (6:30 p.m.)

Athletic Club vs. Villarreal (9 p.m.)

Monday, April 13

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