Overview
- Málaga secured promotion with a 2-1 second-leg win over UD Almería that decided the tie on Saturday, June 20, 2026, with goals by Chupe (Carlos Ruiz Rubio) in the 65th minute and David Larrubia in the 71st minute.
- Almería pulled a 76th-minute goal back through Léo Baptistão, but Málaga held on to clinch the overall victory and a return to Spain’s top division.
- The match finished with late disciplinary incidents: Almería substitute Thalys received a straight red and Málaga’s Aarón Ochoa was sent off after a second yellow in stoppage time.
- Reports said the fixture began under tension when Almería’s bus was pelted with stones before kickoff, a security issue clubs and authorities will likely review as Málaga prepare for LaLiga.
- This promotion ends an eight-year decline that included relegation in 2017–18 and a spell in the third tier, and it places Málaga alongside Racing Santander and Deportivo La Coruña in the 2026–27 LaLiga while forcing immediate squad and organizational upgrades.