Las Ventas hosts its major Goya-style bullfight today with Uceda Leal, El Cid and Javier Cortés

This Saturday, Las Ventas becomes a key focal point for leisure plans in Madrid. The traditional Goya-style bullfight brings together Uceda Leal, El Cid and Javier Cortés. An event that sets the city’s festive pulse and connects with local bullfighting history.

On Saturday, the Las Ventas bullring becomes one of the most notable venues for those looking for a different plan in Madrid. The Goya-style bullfight, which coincides with Community Day, brings together three names who know the ring and the atmosphere of the capital well: Uceda Leal, El Cid and Javier Cortés. For many, it is an event that marks the start of May and the city’s festive pulse.

Uceda Leal, a Madrid-born bullfighter with close ties to Las Ventas, where he debuted as a matador in 1996, opens the bill. His career at this bullring is long and recognised, with more than 70 ceremonial entries and memorable afternoons, such as 2 May 2004, when he left through the Puerta Grande after facing six bulls from different ranches. Local fans still consider him one of their own.

El Cid, born in Seville but with a special relationship with Madrid, takes the second place that afternoon. He took his alternativa at this very bullring in 2000 and has built much of his career in the capital, achieving two exits through the Puerta Grande. His return after his last appearance in October 2023 adds anticipation among Las Ventas regulars.

Javier Cortés, also from Madrid, closes the bill. He took his alternativa in Vistalegre in 2010 and shortly afterwards confirmed it at Las Ventas, with Uceda Leal as his godfather. This will be his third Goya-style bullfight on 2 May, a date that brings back intense memories, such as the 2018 performance in which he cut off an ear before being injured. Since then, he has made 15 ceremonial entries at the bullring.

The bullfight can be followed live on Telemadrid from 18:30, making it possible for those unable to come to the bullring to experience the atmosphere from home. The event thus becomes part of the weekend’s cultural agenda, attracting both fans and the curious who want to feel Madrid’s pulse on a significant date.

Las Ventas is not just a bullring: it is a meeting point for generations of Madrid residents and visitors. Its architecture, history and capacity to bring together thousands of people make it a symbol of the neighbourhood and the city. Each event, especially those coinciding with emblematic dates, strengthens its role as a cultural and social epicentre.

🆕 Goya-style bullfight at Las Ventas, 2 May 2026. Uceda Leal-El Cid-Javier Cortés fought El Pilar bulls; live on Telemadrid from 18:30.