Barcelona dresses up for the occasion: the Goya Awards 2026

How the 2026 Goya Awards were experienced in Barcelona On 28 February 2026, Barcelona hosted the 40th edition of the Goya Awards , the biggest night in Spanish cinema. The ceremony took place at the Auditori Fòrum of the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) , marking the return of the awards to the city 26 years after the 2000 edition. Hosted by Luis Tosar and Rigoberta Bandini, the gala turned Barcelona into a major cultural and audiovisual showcase for millions of viewers.

The big winner of the night was Los domingos , directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, which won Best Film and took home five awards. Sirât also stood out with six technical and artistic awards, while Sorda received three, including Best New Director. The 2026 Honorary Goya went to Gonzalo Suárez , and the International Goya was awarded to Susan Sarandon.

Barcelona, the setting for a particularly symbolic edition Hosting the Goya Awards in Barcelona was more than just a matter of location. The 40th edition coincided with a period of strong momentum in the Catalan audiovisual sector and a clear ambition to position the city as a cultural, creative and cinematic capital.

This prominence is also explained by the strength of the audiovisual sector in Catalonia. According to data released by ACCIÓ in January 2026, the sector reached a turnover of €9.12 billion in 2024, with 4,457 companies and 44,986 jobs, consolidating its role as one of the country’s key cultural and economic drivers.

A city fully engaged with cinema Beyond the gala itself, Barcelona embraced the Goya Awards as a city-wide celebration. The Spanish Film Academy organised a broad programme of pre-event activities, including talks, concerts, special events and initiatives across different venues in the city. Highlights included a commemorative concert at L’Auditori, the recording at the Palau de la Música of an audio fiction linked to Remando al viento — in tribute to Gonzalo Suárez — and various events featuring leading figures from Spanish cinema.

An official photocall and a replica of the Goya Award were also installed at Barcelona City Hall, allowing residents and visitors to take part in the atmosphere of the event. In addition, seven giant sculptures of the award were placed around the city, becoming one of the most visible symbols of this Barcelona edition.

A gala with impact on and off screen The Barcelona edition also achieved strong TV ratings, with an average of 2,396,000 viewers and a 26% audience share — the highest percentage since 2020. This reinforces the gala’s status as one of the major cultural events of the year and as a powerful platform for showcasing the host city.

For Barcelona, these Goya Awards have projected the image of a city ready to host major cultural events, capable of bringing together industry, talent, international visibility and public engagement. More than just an awards ceremony, they became a city-wide celebration of cinema.

Why were the 2026 Goya Awards in Barcelona so important? Because they reinforced three key ideas at once: the role of Barcelona and Catalonia in Spanish cinema, the city’s ability to turn an awards ceremony into a broader cultural experience, and the value of cinema as a driver of branding, economic activity and cultural life. The return of the Goya Awards to Barcelona, on their 40th anniversary, reaffirmed this long-standing connection between the city and the audiovisual sector.

The Goya Awards are the leading awards in Spanish cinema. Established in 1987, they recognise the best productions, directors, actors and technicians each year and have become an event of international prestige. Their celebration in Barcelona in 2026 is significant for two main reasons:

On the one hand, it recognises the key role of Catalan cinema within the Spanish and European industry. On the other, it offers an opportunity to position the city as a cultural and tourism capital, with a strong economic and media impact. 2026, a landmark cultural year in Catalonia In addition to the Goya Awards, 2026 will host other major cultural milestones such as the Year of Gaudí, the Year of Pau Casals and Barcelona as World Capital of Architecture.