Relay Builds Momentum for Tarragona Games
The Special Olympics 2026 torch relay will reach Figueres on Tuesday 29 September, arriving at Plaça Catalunya at 18:00. The flame will travel along La Rambla before concluding at Plaça de l’Ajuntament at 18:45, where the ceremonial peveter (torch cauldron) will be lit.
This event is part of a broader relay running from 24 September to 8 October, leading up to the 13th edition of the Special Olympics in Tarragona, organised by Federació ACELL, the Catalan Federation for Sports for People with Intellectual Disabilities. The Games will take place from 9 to 12 October and feature athletes from across Catalonia, Spain and Europe.
Torch Passes Through 15 Towns
The flame began its journey in Granollers, host of the 2023 edition, and will visit 15 municipalities including Andorra la Vella. In each location, athletes competing in the upcoming Games serve as torchbearers and help light the peveter alongside local officials.
A major highlight will be the torch’s arrival in Barcelona on 3 October, when it travels from Plaça de Catalunya to Plaça de Sant Jaume, site of the Palau de la Generalitat, over a one-kilometre route featuring 10 relay legs. The event will include circus performances by Pep Callau, live music, and public engagement zones with merchandise stalls, balloon stands and photo booths.
“We want these Games to make sports for people with intellectual disabilities more visible and leave a lasting legacy so our athletes can keep training and competing all year round,”
said Pepa Muñoz, president of Federació ACELL-Special Olympics.
Final Leg in Tarragona
The relay concludes on 8 October in Tarragona with a ceremony from 18:00 to 20:00. The torch will pass through historic sites including the Amphitheatre and end at Plaça de la Font, where the final peveter will be lit. Muñoz and Tarragona’s mayor will attend the closing event, marking the official start of the Games’ final countdown.
Reported by figueres.cat, Ajuntament de Figueres.
