Which two clubs contest the Basque derby in La Liga?

The Basque derby is contested by Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad. It is the principal football rivalry of Spain’s Basque Country, linking Bilbao in Biscay with San Sebastián, also called Donostia, in Gipuzkoa.

The two clubs are among the region’s most historic and successful sides. Their rivalry is more than a conventional local derby: both clubs represent strong Basque identities and have traditionally invested heavily in local player development. Matches are played at Athletic’s San Mamés and Real Sociedad’s Anoeta stadium.

The first meeting is generally traced to 1909. The fixture has gained a reputation for an unusually cordial atmosphere compared with many fierce derbies, with supporters sometimes mixing before matches. The rivalry has also carried political and cultural symbolism; in 1976, the two captains famously displayed the banned Ikurriña, the Basque flag, before a match during Spain’s political transition.

Other Basque clubs, including Alavés, Eibar and Osasuna, can appear in regional derby discussions. However, “the Basque derby” conventionally means Athletic Bilbao versus Real Sociedad, while those other pairings are described more specifically as Basque football derbies.