Polinyà, a town in Barcelona province, and Pradejón, in La Rioja, face off on Monday, August 24 in the first semifinal of "El Grand Prix del Verano 2026," Spanish public broadcaster RTVE's flagship summer contest. La 1 airs the head-to-head duel at 21:45 local time, with the winner taking the first available spot in the season's grand final.
The showdown follows a qualifying round involving twelve towns from across Spain. Only one of the two finalists will advance, in a knockout format with no second chances.
Close scores heading into the semifinal
Polinyà reaches the semifinal in strong form, having finished second in the overall qualifying table with 36 points. The Barcelona delegation will have journalist Javi Hoyos on set as its sponsor for the night.
Pradejón qualified in third place with 32 points and will have actress Dafne Fernández cheering from the stands in support of the La Rioja town.
Format and challenges
The programme is hosted by Ramón García, alongside a team of regular collaborators including Lalachus, Gorka Rodríguez, Wilbur and the show's mascot, the Vaquilla, a costumed heifer figure that has become one of the contest's trademarks.
Residents of both towns will take on physical challenges requiring skill and stamina, including the slippery "Hormigas para siempre" obstacle and the greased-pole game known as "La cucaña." Contestants must also manage penalties picked up on the course, which can affect their final standing.
Decided by the Diccionario round
As is customary in the contest, the outcome of the first finalist spot will ultimately hinge on the "Diccionario" round, a word-based challenge in which the points each team has built up over the course of the show can swing dramatically in the closing minutes.
RTVE's long-running summer entertainment format enters its final stretch backed by strong audience numbers. Its most recent episode drew more than one million viewers and a 13.8% audience share during the night-time slot.
