Every first weekend of July, thousands of pigeon fanciers across Europe lose sleep. The reason is always the same: the Barcelona International , the most prestigious long-distance race on the calendar and, for many breeders, the reason they work the rest of the year. In 2026, the race is scheduled to begin on July 3rd .
A career in a category of its own
The Barcelona International is not simply a long race. It is the test that defines what a true pigeon is. Organized with the release point in the Catalan capital by the Entente Belge and the Belgische Verstandhouding , it brings together between 15,000 and over 20,000 pigeons each year from the best lofts in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The distances vary enormously: a breeder from Wallonia might register less than 900 km, while one from northwest Ireland or northern England might exceed 1,300 km (more than 800 miles). This breadth makes Barcelona a race without direct parallel in the world.
The release takes place at dawn from Barcelona. The birds must cross the Pyrenees, traverse the French Massif Central, and reach their lofts in Belgium, the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom. Those competing from the UK also face the English Channel. It's a multi-stage test, and not all pigeons with a brilliant pedigree make the cut.
What the 2025 edition left behind
On July 5, 2025, facing headwinds and high temperatures, Anthony Pellitteri (Rongy, Belgium) took first place in the international old pigeon category. His pigeon, BE221112894 , covered the 998.8 km at an average speed of 985.66 m/min , finishing first among the 15,598 pigeons entered in that race. This performance was the result of years of work with demanding bloodlines: Batenburg, Van Den Berg, Malfait, Haelters (1st International Perpignan 2024), and Meirlaen, among others.
In the double-result female category, the winner was Hugo Casaert (Russeignies, Belgium), with a pigeon that completed 1,025 km at a speed of 962.41 m/min. Belgium thus confirmed its dominance in European long-distance racing, although the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are closing the gap in the international rankings.
What to expect on July 3, 2026
Preparations have been underway for months. Breeders with registered pigeons have been training since spring with races of between 300 and 500 km to fine-tune their physical condition and navigation skills. Any mistake in selecting the right birds for their condition, their diet, or the timing of the widowhood test could cost them their only chance of the year in this competition.
Three factors will define the 2026 edition:
- July weather in the Barcelona-Belgium corridor. South or southwest winds can help the weather, but convective storms over the Pyrenees or the Massif Central can fragment the field and leave many pigeons disoriented for hours.
- The Pyrenees act as a natural filter. They are the biggest obstacle on the course. Pigeons crossing them in poor visibility lose time and orientation; in a race of this distance, that can make the difference between the top 100 and not even making the rankings.
- Heat management at departure. In the Mediterranean area, temperatures above 30°C in July require that the birds depart with energy reserves and in impeccable physical condition.
Breeders who know this race best know that there are no shortcuts: Barcelona rewards consistency over several years, not the luck of a season.
The Spanish point of view
Although the race starts in Barcelona and is organized by Belgian clubs, Spanish pigeon racing has a special relationship with this event. Breeders from Catalonia and Aragon actively participate, and for many, qualifying a pigeon for the Barcelona international top is the goal of the entire season. It is also one of the few international competitions where Spanish geography plays a leading role, even if only as the starting point.
If you have pigeons ready for this race or are tracking their progress with previous races, now is the time to get your records up to date. With FirePedigree, you can record the results of each release directly in each pigeon's profile, link them to its pedigree, and see at a glance which ones are in top form heading into July 3rd.
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