The eclipse, Rosalía or the return of Puigdemont: what awaits us in 2026?

February 8

Elections

2026 begins with rumblings of a possible snap election in Spain due to the various crises plaguing Pedro Sánchez's party. But while this remains unconfirmed, several regional elections are scheduled for this year, serving as a prelude to the struggle for the Spanish government. The People's Party (PP) will test its majority in Aragon—where it has been unable to form a coalition government with Vox and has called elections—on February 8, in Castile and León on March 15, and in Andalusia in June. These three dates are crucial for gauging the strength of the PSOE-PP battle for the central government, which could very well become another major election of the year.

March 14

Night of Catalan Letters

The traditional Night of Saint Lucy, which since 1951 has paid tribute to Catalan literature every December 13th, is undergoing a transformation this year: a change of date and format. The grand celebration, at which the Òmnium Prize for the best novel of the year is awarded, will now take place... It will be called the Night of Catalan Letters and will be celebrated in March Instead of December. It also expands with new awards, such as those for comics and plays, but the traditional Sant Jordi Prize for novels, the Mercè Rodoreda Prize for short stories, and the Carles Riba Prize for poetry, among others, will continue to be awarded. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 14th, in the Oval Room of the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) and will be broadcast live on TV3.

March-June

Elections at Barça

In 2026, Barça hopes to retain its La Liga title and aspires to win its sixth Champions League trophy, but even more crucial to achieving this will be another milestone expected this year: the club's presidential elections. Joan Laporta, who is seeking re-election, has not yet decided on a specific date, but they will be held between March and June. Víctor Font will run again. The businessman from Vallès is the leading figure of Nosotros, a movement formed by Barça supporters who want to usher in a new era for the club. Xavier Vilajoana and Marc Ciria are the other contenders in an election where Leo Messi could be key if he were to endorse a candidate.

April

Rosalía in Barcelona

One of the most anticipated moments of this new year is Rosalía's concerts at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, ​​during the tour to present her album Lux, which has been so widely discussed. Unlike the tour of Motomami, which began in AlmeríaThis time it will begin tour in Lyon, France, on March 16. After stops in Paris, Zurich, Milan, Madrid (four concerts at the Movistar Arena), and Lisbon, the live tour for their new album will arrive in the Catalan capital on April 13, 15, 17, and 18. The year's musical calendar, however, includes other exceptional events, such as El Último de la Fila's two comeback concerts at the Estadi Olímpic and Oques Grasses' four farewell shows, also at the Estadi Olímpic.

April

End of the Pujol trial

Last November went to kick off the trial of the decade at the National CourtAnd it's likely we'll see the end of it sometime in 2026. The court expects to take about six months to determine whether the money the Pujol Ferrusola family had in Andorra came from the inheritance of their grandfather Florenci, as former president Jordi Pujol claims, or from "illicit multimillion-euro payments" from businessmen in exchange for "political favors," as the judge who investigated the case maintains. This places the final sessions of the trial around April, and by then we will have seen many people testify, starting with the 95-year-old former president himself, whom the judge has not exonerated due to his health condition, as his lawyers requested.

May

First Eurovision without Spain

After 65 years, this will be the first time the Eurovision Song Contest is held without Spain's participation. RTVE has decided to withdraw from the competition—which will take place in Vienna on May 16—after the European Broadcasting Union upheld Israel's participation despite numerous calls for a boycott due to the war in Gaza. Spain was one of the leading countries in this boycott and is not the only one to withdraw for this reason: the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, and Iceland will also not participate.

June 10

Centenary of Gaudí's death

2026 will be the Year of Gaudí, commemorating the centenary of the Catalan genius's death, which falls on June 10. On that specific date, the tallest tower of the Sagrada Familia is scheduled to be inaugurated in an official ceremony to which Pope Leo XVI has been invited. The pontiff has not yet confirmed his attendance, and in fact, the institutions have already indicated that if Leo decides to visit Barcelona on a different day, the inauguration date will be changed to allow him to be present. In addition to the Year of Gaudí, this will also be the Year of Pau Casals, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the Catalan musician's birth (December 29, 1876).

June-July

Men's World Cup

In 2026 we will have a new edition of Men's World CupIt will be Lamine Yamal's first time playing and Leo Messi's last. The competition will kick off on Thursday, June 11, at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico and will conclude on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New York and New Jersey. It will be the World Cup with the largest number of participants in history, increasing from the 32 countries represented in Qatar 2022 to a total of 48, and will feature more matches, 104. Another new feature is that there will be three host countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Donald Trump was the undisputed star of the gala where the draw took place this past December, when he received the controversial FIFA Peace Prize.

July 4th

250th anniversary of the United States

A monumental Arch of Triumph in Washington, the world's largest American flag, a grand fair with pavilions for all 50 states, some Patriotic games with youth sports competitions, and even a wrestling tournament (Ultimate Fight Championship) at the White House. These are some of the highlights that Donald Trump has prepared for the celebration, on July 4th, of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States. This anniversary will have a very Trumpian flavor, promising monumental and extravagant festivities, unlike anything seen in 250 years of history.

July

Tour de France

For the first time in history, the Tour de France will start in Catalonia. Specifically, it will begin in Barcelona on July 4th and its...The first stage will pass entirely through the Catalan capital, where Montjuïc mountain will be the central point and the finish line for the first two days. The second stage will start in Tarragona and cover 178 kilometers to Barcelona, ​​while the third stage will depart from Granollers and head towards France, crossing the Pyrenees to reach Els Angles (Capcir), a total of 196 km.

August 12

Solar eclipse

One of the events that is generating the most excitement is the total solar eclipse which, for the first time since 1905, will be visible from Catalonia. Not from all of it, however. Those privileged will be those in much of Tarragona, Lleida, and the Terres de l'Ebre, as well as the Balearic Islands. Around 8:30 p.m. on August 12 (the exact time varies depending on the location), they will see the Moon pass between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking our star. Such a phenomenon has not been seen in Europe since 1999. In fact, apart from Spain, it will only be visible in Iceland, Greenland, and a very small part of Portugal. The Generalitat has set up observation points to about twenty municipalities.

November 3

US midterm elections

The political earthquake generated by Donald Trump will be put to the test at the polls in 2026. midterm electionsMidterm elections in the United States are always a barometer of the incumbent president's popularity and are usually unfavorable. This time, more than ever, they will be a referendum on the aggressive policies of Trump's second term, with its drastic cuts, mass deportations, foreign intervention, and controversies that could take a heavy toll, such as the Epstein papers. The entire House of Representatives and a third of the Senate are up for election, and Trump's Republican Party could lose its current majorities in both chambers. But these will not be the only key elections of the year on the international stage. Among many other elections, such as the Brazilian presidential election, the Israeli elections also stand out. On October 27, Israelis will decide whether Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power.

All year

Barcelona, ​​world capital of Architecture

For ten months, between the feast days of Saint Eulalia (February 12) and Saint Lucy (December 13), Barcelona will be the world epicenter of architecture with more than 200 events and 1,500 activities, including exhibitions, tours, guided visits, and events in various neighborhoods. The Catalan capital takes over from Copenhagen as the world capital of architecture. A major exhibition on Josep Maria Jujol, curated by Perejaume at the MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia), will be one of the highlights of this celebration, which will also focus on areas of Barcelona undergoing significant transformation with a view to 2035, such as La Sagrera, Montjuïc mountain, and the coastline, from the Port of Barcelona to the Fòrum.

The mystery of the year

Puigdemont's return?

The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, is convinced that 2026 will be the year of former president Carles Puigdemont's return to Catalonia. He stated this during the last question time session in the Catalan Parliament before the holidays. The decision rests with the Constitutional Court, which must decide whether or not to uphold the Supreme Court's ruling that the amnesty law does not apply to the former president due to the charges of misuse of public funds. The former president has requested the suspension of the precautionary arrest warrant should he enter Catalonia, and if the Constitutional Court grants this request, we could finally see Puigdemont setting foot on Catalan soil for the first time (with the exception of a brief visit in 2024) since 2017.