Rayo Vallecano have been indefinitely barred from playing at their Estadio de Vallecas home ground, less than three weeks before the new La Liga season begins, after an audit found a risk of Legionnaires' disease. The regional government of Madrid, which owns the stadium and leases it to the club, suspended Rayo's licence to host matches, citing accumulated refuse and debris that could cause disease outbreaks or fires, alongside electrical faults. No alternative venue has yet been confirmed, leaving the club's opening fixtures in doubt.

Madrid's regional head of sport, Mariano de Paco, said Rayo had failed to comply with requests for maintenance work and proof of water quality, describing the situation as having reached "a point of no return" and calling it "intolerable". Urgent repairs are set to begin immediately and could take two to six months, while club president Raul Martin Presa, long criticised by fans for poor upkeep, could not be reached. The stadium, built in 1976 and the smallest in La Liga, has faced repeated complaints, including an "unplayable" pitch last season and a forced away-venue switch against Atletico Madrid in February; a two-year renovation plan to expand capacity to 18,500 was proposed last month, while Rayo's first home game, against Alaves, remains scheduled for 20 August.