sports

Copa del Rey Valencia 2026: Joventut Challenges Host

The Copa del Rey de Valencia 2026 tips off today with two blockbuster matchups as Joventut challenges host Valencia Basket, followed by Real Madrid facing reigning champion Unicaja.

The tournament opens with Joventut attempting to break the host curse, which has seen only two victories in the last 33 editions by host teams, with the last occurring 24 years ago in Vitoria 2002.

Later, the day's marquee match features Real Madrid as the heavy favorite against Unicaja, the defending champion who has won the competition in 2025 and 2023, establishing themselves as the dominant force in recent Copa del Rey history.