Everything is ready in Oviedo for the celebration of the Princess of Asturias Awards 2026, which will be presented on Friday, October 23, at the Campoamor Theatre. As we await the arrival of the kings of Spain and their daughters, almost all of the laureates have already made their presence felt at the Reconquista Hotel. One of the last to arrive will be precisely the one who has aroused the most excitement among football fans: Leo Messi.
The Argentine forward has been awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports 2026 for his “dazzling talent and his exceptional sporting career,” according to the awards jury. But they also wished to recognize “his formidable and continued charitable work to promote access to education and healthcare for the most disadvantaged children.”
It is planned that Leo Messi, the player who has won more titles in the history of the beautiful game, will be received around 13:30 at the Hotel de La Reconquista in Oviedo. As is traditional, the footballer will pose for the media to the sound of a bagpipe band. A moment that has always given us iconic anecdotes, such as Meryl Streep’s or Serena Williams’ dances.
In the afternoon, from 17:30, the Inter Miami player will hold a meeting with the educational community at the Oviedo Sports Palace. This activity is aimed especially at children and young people, but the general public has also been able to register to attend the meeting through the Princess of Asturias Foundation’s website.
A very hectic schedule
Already on Friday, both Leo Messi and the rest of the laureates of the Princess of Asturias Awards 2026 will participate, along with the kings Felipe and Letizia and their daughters, in the traditional lunch prior to the awards ceremony. It is customary for the Royal Family to offer the laureates, authorities, and guests a menu with a notable presence of Asturian traditional cuisine. Fabada, regional cheeses, and arroz con leche for dessert are usually not missing.
Leo Messi, in his last match with the Argentina national team.
Ya en la ceremonia propiamente dicha y pese a que la presencia de Leo Messi es una de las que más expectación ha despertado, no está previsto que el futbolista ofrezca ningún discurso. A este respecto, la directora de la fundación, Teresa Sanjurjo, aclaró previamente que esta decisión responde estrictamente al formato y protocolo tradicional de la gala de premios en el Teatro Campoamor.
Debido a que el tiempo de la ceremonia es limitado, tan solo serán cuatro de los ocho galardonados con los Princesa de Asturias los que subirán al atril. En la edición de 2026, las intervenciones correrán a cargo de Julian Barnes (Letras), Christina Koch (Concordia), Timothy Garton Ash (Ciencias Sociales) y Patti Smith (Artes).
Messi’s hurried schedule
The visit to Oviedo by Leo Messi will be a flash appearance. After the awards ceremony, the Argentine footballer will not be able to attend the official post-dinner because he must urgently travel back to the United States. The reason is that his team, Inter Miami of David Beckham, faces the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, October 24. The striker had already informed the organization in advance of this scheduling limitation due to his sporting commitments.
Despite the rushed trip, Leo Messi has expressed great satisfaction at having won this prize “which for me is a huge pride.” The Rosario-born player highlighted after receiving the news that “Spain and Catalonia are part of my life: I grew up there as a footballer, lived many years there, and my children were born there. I have always felt a lot of affection from the people, and that is why this prize holds very special meaning for me.”
