The first encierro of the 2026 San Fermín festival took place Tuesday in Pamplona, Spain, leaving several runners injured [1], [2].
This opening run marks the beginning of a high-risk traditional celebration that draws global attention to the historic center of the city. The event serves as the start of a series of eight encierros scheduled for the festival [8].
The run began at 8 a.m. [2] in the streets of Pamplona’s casco viejo [1]. The bulls used for the event came from the Fuente Ymbro ganadería, which has participated in the San Fermín festivities for more than 20 years [7]. This specific group of bulls has run in Pamplona 19 times [6].
Reports on the number of casualties vary slightly. Two sources said that four runners were injured during the event [3], [4]. However, a third report said that five runners were injured [5]. Regardless of the total count, two of the injured participants were transferred to the hospital for medical treatment [4].
The encierro is a central part of the San Fermín festivities, where participants run ahead of the bulls through a predetermined route. The speed of the animals and the density of the crowds in the narrow streets of the historic center often lead to collisions, and falls. Emergency services were stationed along the route to provide immediate aid to the runners who fell or were struck by the bulls.
“The first encierro of the 2026 San Fermín festival took place Tuesday in Pamplona, Spain.”
The occurrence of injuries in the opening run is a common pattern in the San Fermín festival, reflecting the inherent danger of the event. The use of bulls from a long-standing ganadería like Fuente Ymbro highlights the tradition's reliance on specific breeding lines, though the variance in injury reports underscores the chaotic nature of the event's immediate aftermath.
