Referee named for Madrid Derbi between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid

The Spanish Football Federation has appointed referee Ortiz Arias to officiate the upcoming Madrid Derbi between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid. The highly anticipated LaLiga match is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at the Estadio Metropolitano. This fixture will see José Mourinho's Real Madrid face off against Diego Simeone's Atlético de Madrid.

This appointment is historic as Ortiz Arias becomes the first Madrid-born referee to officiate a Madrid Derbi. This was made possible after the CTA abolished the territoriality rule last season, which previously prevented local officials from refereeing matches involving teams from their own regional federation. Notably, Ortiz Arias has never refereed a Real Madrid match before.