Los Mataresos de l'Alguer are flying to Tarragona for the 2026 Concurs de Castells, one of the most important events in the Catalan castellera tradition. On October 3rd and 4th, for the second consecutive year, the Alghero-based team will be present at the event, which brings together the best teams from the Catalan Country and several international representatives. This is a particularly significant event for the Mataresos, founded just three years ago: after their experience in 2024, this year 56 Alghero-based players will travel to Tarragona.
And for the first time, the colla will perform in the Catalan city. On Saturday at 11 a.m., in Plaça de la Font, in front of the City Hall, the Mataresos will participate in the international colles castelleres meeting, alongside teams from Andorra, Paris, London, Madrid, Copenhagen, and Lo Prado, Chile. The Alghero natives will build their pilar in the heart of their twin city. In the afternoon, the Mataresos will instead get to the heart of the Concurs at the Tarraco Arena Plaça, the former bullring transformed into a space with approximately 11,000 seats. Here, they will join the Xics de Granollers, the patrons of the Alghero team, wearing their maroon jerseys and contributing to the pinya , the human base on which the castles are built.
On Sunday, they will participate again at the Tarraco Arena, this time alongside the Borinots de Sants, one of Barcelona's most prestigious colles, capable of constructing extremely challenging structures, up to nine-story castells. Founded in 1932 and held every two years, the Concurs de Castells reaches its thirtieth edition this year and involves a total of 42 of the best colles castelleres. For the Mataresos, it will be another opportunity to strengthen the cultural ties between Alghero and Catalonia, bringing Alghero's presence to the heart of one of the most representative Catalan folk traditions.
