2026 Goya Awards to take place at Barcelona's CCIB on February 28

The 2026 Goya Awards ceremony will take place on February 28 at Barcelona’s International Convention Center (CCIB) in the Fòrum area.

These are the first official details of the gala, announced on Friday by Academy president Fernando Méndez-Leite during an event at the Catalan government headquarters.

This year’s ceremony will be especially significant, as the Goyas celebrate their 40th anniversary. Expectations are high, with organizers anticipating it will be “the best Goya Awards ceremony ever.”

“Catalan cinema has had a fundamental presence in Spanish filmmaking, and what better place to celebrate our 40th anniversary than Barcelona, a city that breathes cinema,” said Méndez-Leite.

While only a few details of the event have been revealed so far, the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, offered a glimpse of how the ceremony will also be a celebration for the wider public.

“We want to bring back the magic of going to the cinema, especially for younger audiences. Our goal is to open up the Goyas to the city, to make them participatory, and for citizens to feel part of the celebration,” Collboni said.

Among the initiatives announced is a Hall of Fame to be installed on Avinguda Diagonal near the Fòrum, honoring Catalan actors, directors, and producers who have been nominated for Goya Awards throughout the past 40 years.

In addition, the Barcelona city hall will feature an official photocall with a replica of the Goya statuette at its entrance, allowing visitors to take photos.

The Catalan Filmoteca will also play a central role, hosting public screenings of the nominated films.

Another highlight will be the display of seven giant Goya statuettes, originally designed in Valencia in 2022.

Their locations around the city have not yet been specified, but they will be showcased as part of the celebrations.

A sweet moment for Catalan cinema

The ceremony arrives in Catalonia at a sweet moment for Catalan cinema. In fact, all three films shortlisted by the Spanish Film Academy to represent the country in the Oscars are Catalan productions.

“Catalonia has planted the seeds for half of Spanish cinema in recent years,” said the Academy’s director.

Sònia Hernández, Catalan Minister of Culture, celebrated what she described as a “sensational” moment for the region’s film industry.

“The ceremony coming to Catalonia is an undeniable recognition of the strength, talent, and unstoppable dynamism of our cinema,” Hernández said during the presentation.

In 2024, 42 Catalan productions drew 730,000 spectators to theaters, a record for the last 15 years. At the same time, the Catalan government has doubled its investment in audiovisual production.

“Our goal is to become a European benchmark in audiovisual creation,” Hernández added.

To learn more about Catalan cinema's .current golden era, listen to this episode of our podcast Filling the Sink.