Schedule, route and road closures: everything you need to know about the El Corte Inglés Race 2026
In its 46th edition it will exceed 50,000 registered and will help the Cruyff Foundation
BarcelonaAs every year, Barcelona prepares for one of the most emblematic races in the city, brought to you by El Corte Inglés. A race that continues to grow and this year will surpass the 40,000 registered participants from 2025. As always, the 10 km route, approved by the Catalan Athletics Federation, will allow us to unite people who simply enjoy sports with those who dream of victory and improving their personal bests. The organization has highlighted that more than 60% of participants are between 18 and 34 years old.
When is the El Corte Inglés 2026 Race held?
The 46th edition of the El Corte Inglés Race will be this Sunday, May 10th, starting at 9 AM. As always, it is a free race that you can register for on its website. Each year, the race seeks to be a travel companion for a foundation with a charitable purpose. If last year it was the Xana Foundation of Luis Enrique, this year it will be the Johan Cruyff Foundation, which promotes sports projects for young people with disabilities.
The collection of bibs will take place until this Saturday at the El Corte Inglés stores in Plaça Catalunya, Diagonal, and Can Dragó, during their business hours. To participate in the race, it is essential to wear the official bib, which guarantees timekeeping and access to all the event's services.
What is the route?
The start will be at Avinguda Diagonal 617, in front of El Corte Inglés Diagonal. It will be almost the same route as in recent years, and will pass through streets such as Balmes, Rosselló, Passeig de Gràcia, Aragó, Calàbria, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Passeig de Sant Joan and Ronda de Sant Pere, ending in Plaça Catalunya, in front of El Corte Inglés Plaça Catalunya.
Which streets will it affect?
For the race, streets will be closed. According to information from the City Council, restrictions will begin at 5 in the morning in the Plaça Catalunya area, while the entire route will be closed between 8:30 AM and 12:30 PM. Additionally, streets near the route will also have partial closures, as will happen between 5 AM and 2 PM on the Ronda de Sant Pere, from Pau Claris to Plaça Catalunya; in Plaça Catalunya, on the mountain, Besòs, and Llobregat carriageways; on Passeig de Gràcia, from Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes to Plaça Catalunya; on Carrer Bergara, and on Ronda Universitat, between Rambla Catalunya and Carrer Balmes.
The circuit will also affect Diagonal Avenue, Plaça Francesc Macià, Balmes, Rosselló, Bruc, Mallorca, Aragó, and Calàbria streets, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Passeig de Sant Joan, and Ronda de Sant Pere. In practice, this means that moving by car around Diagonal, Eixample, Passeig de Gràcia, and Plaça Catalunya will be slower than usual for a large part of the morning.
What will be the impact on buses?
Some bus lines may be affected in terms of route and schedule. For this reason, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) recommends the metro for travel in the area where the sporting event will take place. The diversions will affect 37 TMB bus lines: D40, D50, H6, H8, H10, H12, H16, V3, V5, V7, V9, V11, V13, V15, V17, V19, 6, 7, 19, 22, 24, 27, 33, 34, 39, 47, 54, 55, 59, 63, 67, 68, 78, 113, 141 and the red and blue routes of the Barcelona Bus Turístic.
Who are the favorites?
The Catalan athlete Pol Espinosa is a candidate for the podium with Bilal Ziadi, a Spaniard of Moroccan origin, and the Frenchman Eliott Tissier. In the women's category, the Catalan Cristina Silva, winner of the 43rd edition and bronze medalist in the 45th Cursa El Corte Inglés, and Argentina Oria de Rueda are profiled as favorites along with the North American Meredith Bloss, to share the podium again.