The first La Liga season in 1929 featured 10 clubs.
The inaugural Primera División was created after Spanish football authorities and clubs agreed on a national league competition. Six places went to clubs that had previously won the Spanish Championship, while three went to other prominent cup finalists. Racing Santander earned the tenth and final place through a qualifying tournament.
The original participants were Arenas, Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Español, Europa, Racing Santander, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Real Unión and Athletic Madrid, the former name of Atlético Madrid. Each club played the others home and away, producing 90 matches.
Barcelona became the first champions, edging Real Madrid after winning the final matchday and benefiting from Madrid’s defeat by Athletic Bilbao. The competition later expanded, but its opening edition established the league’s national format and its enduring name, Primera División.