At least nine injured in Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls festival

At least nine people had been injured by July 10 in Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls, after the opening run on July 7 left five runners hurt and the second run on July 8 added more cases. The injuries came during the 2026 San Fermín festival, a nine-day celebration that ran from July 6 to July 14, with the encierro taking place each morning at 8 a.m. from July 7 through July 14.

The 850-meter course cuts through narrow streets in the heart of Pamplona, where runners move alongside fighting bulls in a spectacle that mixes speed, crowd pressure and real physical danger. Participants are often jostled, bruised or gored, and the festival’s own official materials stress that Sanfermines is a party to be enjoyed responsibly. The city’s tourism information also provides safety and help guidance for visitors drawn to the event each year.

The appeal has proved durable despite the risk. Toby Atkins of Bucket List Events described the run as “like a thousand heartbeats beating at the same time.” That sense of collective adrenaline helps explain why crowds keep returning to Pamplona even as the injuries mount in the opening days of the festival.

San Fermín sits at the center of that attachment. He has been the co-patron saint of Navarre with San Francisco Javier since 1657, and the festival’s religious origins long predate the modern bull-running spectacle that now defines it for much of the world. Visit Navarra directs visitors to information on the main events across the nine days, reflecting how deeply the celebration is woven into the city’s identity.

By the fourth run on July 10, the toll had already reached at least nine injuries, underscoring how quickly the festival’s risks can escalate once the bulls begin running before dawn. The Sanfermines continue to draw thrill-seekers and tourists alike, even as the same narrow streets produce the injuries that have made the event one of Spain’s most debated traditions.