Malaga return to La Liga after an eight-year absence

In the second leg of the Segunda División promotion play-off final, Málaga defeated Almería 2-1. They eliminated their opponent with an aggregate score of 2-1 and returned to La Liga after an eight-year absence.

Málaga were relegated to the Segunda División after finishing 20th in La Liga in the 2017-18 campaign. Following five consecutive seasons in the second tier, the club dropped down to Spain’s third division. After a single-season stint in the Primera Federación during 2023-24, Málaga made its way back to the Segunda División.

At the end of the 2025-26 Segunda División regular season, Málaga claimed fourth place. In the promotion play-offs, they overcame Las Palmas in the semi-final and Almería in the final to secure promotion to La Liga for the 2026-27 season, marking their comeback to Spain’s top flight after eight years.