San Diego Comic-Con Málaga – the first licensed edition of the esteemed Comic-Con International brand to take place outside of San Diego or, indeed, North America – returns to the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos (FYCMA) Conference Centre on the first weekend of October, from Thurs 1st to Sun 4th Oct 2026. And the show brings back one of the highlights of that debut event: a truly epic Cosplay Contest of massive proportions.
It’s safe to say that we at The Convention Collective were particularly critical of the first SDCC Málaga, with thousands stuck in endless lines, the spaces, access points and space in and around the Centre used inefficiently, a constricted Exhibition Floor and your usual overly-priced food stands. But, to be fair, it was the first show hosted by an organisation outside of Comic-Con International; there are learning curves to be navigated and, with word reaching us of replanned layouts, expanded content and a bigger comics representation in the Artists Alley, we can only wish them all the best for this second edition.
Things that SDCC Malaga did get right, in a BIG way, were the content and the presentation of the whole she-bang – from a dedicated Comic-Con March that stuck in this writer’s head for weeks after, to some of the best motion graphics and branding I’ve ever seen at a con, to a truly f%~king MAMMOTH, 3k+ capacity Hall M (Malaga’s take on Hall H) featuring some stellar panels and presentations. And on that very stage on Saturday 3rd October, one of the highlights of the 2025 schedule returns: the San Diego Comic-Con Málaga Cosplay Contest.
Applications are now open for participants in this year’s Contest, with the winner of the 2025 battle royale, Linda Guarise, joining the judging panel. The wording on the press release is a little vague on who in the world can take part (mentioning that the Contest applications are open ‘for Spanish talent’) but, if you’re invested in shipping over your creation to the Costa De Sol Airport and giving the Contest a punt, it’s worth a shot.
All the details are below – the release came, understandably, in Spanish so bear with us as we run this puppy through Google Translate…
SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON MALAGA OPENS THE CALL FOR COSPLAY CONTEST ENTRIES
From the applications received through the form available on the SDCC Málaga website, 40 contestants will be selected.
Linda Guarise, the winner of the first edition, will be a member of the jury
Madrid, July 21, 2026 – The application form is now open for Spanish talent focused on the art of cosplay to participate in the San Diego Comic-Con Málaga 2026 cosplay contest. This term, coined in the 1980s, defines those fans (cosplayers) who create costumes and makeup to faithfully and professionally embody specific characters from anime, manga, comics, video games, or movies.
The BBVA Cosplay Contest at San Diego Comic-Con Málaga will take place on Saturday, October 3rd in Hall M, a venue with a capacity of three thousand people and top-notch audiovisual production. This year’s contest will feature 40 participants, pre-selected by the San Diego Comic-Con Málaga organisers.
The competition will last two hours, during which participants will showcase their creations and explain their signature technique. The judges will have the opportunity to review technical details, such as stitching, painting, and the articulation of the pieces. Aspects such as character accuracy, the use of innovative materials, and the contestant’s stage presence will be evaluated.
REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE 2026 EDITION:
- Complete a formal application for participation through this form.
- Provide clear information about the cosplay costume that will be used in the competition
- Be 16 years of age or older.
- Must be available to compete on Saturday, October 3rd.
SDCC Málaga is the meeting point for European creative industries and, as such, brings together fans, creators, studios, publishers, and companies in the entertainment sector around film, television series, comics, video games, and animation, among others. It is precisely this commitment to gathering and connecting that has led to the second edition of the Cosplay Contest, which returns in collaboration with BBVA, Diamond Sponsor of SDCC Málaga 2026.
“At BBVA, we believe that great ideas are born from passion. That’s why we want to be present in spaces like San Diego Comic-Con Málaga, where thousands of people develop projects that reflect their creativity, dedication, and talent. The BBVA Cosplay Contest San Diego Comic-Con Málaga is a way to support those who bring these projects to life, recognising the effort behind each creation and offering them a platform to showcase it and inspire others,” says Santiago Martín de Sousa, CMO of BBVA in Spain.
A TOP-LEVEL INTERNATIONAL JURY
To assess the skill and creativity of the costumes submitted to the competition, SDCC Málaga has assembled an expert jury of four members, whose names will be revealed soon. One of the judges will be Italian designer Linda Linda, winner of the 2025 edition and, therefore, an expert who can evaluate the contestants’ presence and attitude. Linda has over 10 years of experience as a costume designer, and some of her creations have been exhibited in museums such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and the Kennedy Space Center.
In addition to Hall M, fans attending San Diego Comic-Con Malaga will be able to meet the jury members in other locations at the convention: they will visit Artists’ Alley, where they will sign prints, chat and take photos with their fans, and will also give workshops and round tables to share their experience in this very original vertical.
THE FAN EXPERIENCE, AT THE CENTRE
In its 2026 edition, San Diego Comic-Con Malaga will maintain its capacity of 90,000 attendees (22,500 per day), while significantly expanding its spaces and content with, among other things, the extension of its exhibition area by more than 11,000 square meters (Exhibitor Hall Town and Exhibitor Hall Garden) and an Artists’ Alley with +90 artist booths.
The event is co-financed by the ERDF Andalusia 2021-2027 Programme and the Regional Government of Andalusia. As one of Europe’s major meeting points for pop culture fans and professionals, it already boasts Special Guests and dozens of confirmed dates.
Tickets for the next edition are available on Ticketmaster. Guests confirmed for San Diego Comic-Con Malaga 2026 include:
- Iñaki Godoy
- Emily Rudd
- Elijah Wood
- Sean Astin
- John Romita Jr.
- Kevin Smith
- Mingjue Helen Chen
- Michael Rooker
- Richard Dean Anderson
- Mira Sorvino
- Yoichi Takahashi
with more to be confirmed.
