PAMPLONA — Multiple runners were injured during the final days of the 2026 San Fermin festival as thousands of participants took part in the traditional daily bull runs through the streets of Pamplona, with officials reporting a mix of gorings and blunt-force injuries over several events.
The latest run on Monday, the seventh of the eight-day series, ended with eight runners treated for bruises and other impact injuries, according to local medical authorities. Officials said no participants suffered horn wounds during the approximately two-and-a-half-minute run, in which six Miura fighting bulls completed the 875-meter route to the city's bullring.
The injuries followed more serious incidents over the weekend. During Saturday's fifth bull run, one runner was gored in the face while 12 others required medical attention after falls and collisions as a bull became separated from the main pack. Medical authorities said the injured runner was transported for treatment, while several others suffered contusions sustained in pileups along the narrow course.
On Sunday, emergency services reported seven injured runners, including one person who suffered a horn wound inside the bullring. Six of the injured were taken to medical centers for further evaluation, while others were treated for chest, head, shoulder and leg injuries.
The annual San Fermin festival, held from July 6 to July 14, features daily morning bull runs in which participants sprint ahead of six fighting bulls through Pamplona's historic streets before the animals enter the bullring for afternoon events. The tradition attracts thousands of local residents and international visitors each year.
Medical teams and emergency personnel are deployed along the route each morning to respond rapidly to injuries, which commonly include bruises, fractures and occasional gorings. Authorities repeatedly advise participants to follow official safety rules and warn that the event carries significant risks despite extensive planning and crowd-control measures.
Fatalities at the festival are rare but have occurred historically. Organizers and local authorities continue to monitor each day's event and release official injury updates after runners have been assessed at hospitals and on-site medical posts. The eighth and final scheduled bull run is set for Tuesday, concluding the 2026 edition of one of Spain's best-known traditional festivals.
