Giant screens in Madrid for Spain's debut in the 2026 World Cup: this is the Colón 'fan zone'

Current situation of the “special security and mobility device” for the 2026 World Cup in Madrid

As of 06/15/2026, in the regional normative and parliamentary databases consulted (Community of Madrid and BOCM) there is no agreement, decree, order, or plan expressly identified as a “special security and mobility device for mass events in Madrid during the 2026 World Cup.” That is, there is no record as a regional regulation nor as a parliamentary initiative of an instrument with that specific title or purpose. Therefore, it is not possible to assign a formal processing stage (initial approval, public information, final approval, etc.). Most likely, if it exists or is being worked on, it is structured at the municipal level (Madrid City Council) or through internal operational plans that do not appear in the databases that have been consulted.

Non-existence of a specific regional initiative linked to the 2026 World Cup

Within the Community of Madrid, both the executive provisions published in the Official Bulletin of the Community of Madrid (BOCM) and the initiatives registered in the Assembly of Madrid have been reviewed. In none of these repositories does a regulation or agreement clearly aimed at organizing a “special security and mobility device” in the city of Madrid for the 2026 World Cup appear. Nor has any reference been found to “World Cup 2026,” “Football World Cup,” or “FIFA 2026” associated with security or mobility plans.

What has been found are regulations related to mobility or security, but of a general nature and not linked to this event. For example, a correction of errors of Order 514/2026, dated March 19, from the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Interior, related to the Plan Mueve Madrid for promoting sustainable and accessible mobility, published in the BOCM on April 24, 2026, has been located. This text only corrects a percentage (“30%”) of the credit allocated to low emission zones and does not mention the 2026 World Cup or special devices for mass events in any case.

Regulations on security and mobility not related to the World Cup device

Regarding security, Decree 49/2023, dated May 3, of the Governing Council, which approves the Regulation on uniform, equipment, and mobile means of the Local Police of the Community of Madrid, published in the BOCM on May 8, 2023, has been identified. This regulation generally governs the material and means of local police but does not include any specific plan associated with a major sporting event such as the 2026 World Cup.

In the transport field, there is also a Resolution dated May 12, 2026, from the Directorate General of Transport and Mobility, appointing the examination board for obtaining the professional driver aptitude certificate for 2026 (BOCM of May 25, 2026). This is a purely administrative resolution about exams, unrelated to security or mobility devices for large public gatherings.

Additionally, there are other provisions on aid for sports events of special interest from previous years, sponsorship agreements for events such as Mad Cool 2026 or South Summit 2026, and the Plan Mueve Madrid itself. All of these may touch on the themes of “events” or “mobility,” but none constitute a specific device for the World Cup nor establish concrete security and mobility schemes for mass events in the capital.

Consequences regarding the “processing stage” and possible areas where the device may exist

Since no specific regional or parliamentary initiative with the object you mention has been identified, it is not possible to assign a formal processing stage. There is no file with initial approval, public information, final approval, or publication in the bulletin that can be directly linked to a “special security and mobility device” for the 2026 World Cup in Madrid, nor official reference (agreement number, decree, etc.) nor date of the last milestone.

It is important to consider two limits of the available information. First, the municipal scope: the agreements of the Governing Board of the Madrid City Council, mayoral decrees, or operational instructions from the Municipal Police, EMT, or emergency services are usually the usual way to structure special devices on dates of major events, and not all of them are integrated into regional normative databases. Second, the state scope: security plans for major events (coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior, the Government Delegation in Madrid, National Police Corps, or Civil Guard) are often specified through internal orders and plans that are not published with such explicit titles in the BOE.

What to expect and how to monitor

If a specific regional plan or agreement linked to the 2026 World Cup is finally approved, it should appear published in the BOCM or be processed as an initiative of the regional government before the Assembly of Madrid, with clear disposition number and date. Until such publication exists, from the regional point of view there is no “processing stage” that can be consulted.

For more detailed monitoring, especially if you need it for business, logistics, or event planning, the recommended focus is: on one hand, the agreements of the Governing Board of the Madrid City Council and communications from the Mobility and Transport Area (traffic cuts, public transport reinforcements, etc.); on the other, the notes and instructions from the Government Delegation in Madrid regarding security. It is at these levels where, most likely, the practical device for the days of highest attendance during the World Cup will be defined and communicated.

The mayor of Madrid has a very broad margin to decide and organize public events in municipal spaces such as Plaza de Colón, but does not act alone or without limits. Through the Governing Board and municipal government areas, he controls the use of public domain, licenses, mobility, noise, schedules, and contracting related to a fan zone. At the same time, he must coordinate with the Government Delegation (for public order and state security forces) and with the Community of Madrid (health, regional emergencies, regional transport, etc.). In practice, the mayor sets the political direction and approves the main parameters of the event within a shared legal and competency framework.

Use of municipal public domain

Plaza de Colón and its surroundings are essentially part of the municipal public domain, whose management corresponds to the Madrid City Council. In application of Law 7/1985, Regulating the Bases of Local Regime, and municipal ordinances, the mayor and the Governing Board can:

– Authorize the occupation of the square and adjacent streets with stages, screens, booths, bars, or closure elements.
– Determine the duration of special use (days and time slots) and the conditions of that use (maximum capacity, spatial configuration, access).
– Establish fees or economic conditions for the occupation, unless it is a strictly municipal or exempt event.

These decisions are specified through resolutions of the competent municipal bodies (Urban Planning area, Culture area, etc.), under the political direction of the mayor.

Authorizations, licenses, and activity conditions

For a fan zone, multiple municipal authorizations are required: licenses for recreational activities, permits for installing temporary structures, safety verifications of stages and equipment, and compliance with urban planning regulations. The City Council, under the mayor's responsibility, defines:

– What type of activity is allowed (show, sports broadcast, associated hospitality).
– Technical conditions (emergency exits, evacuation plans, technical inspections of installations).
– Capacity controls and self-protection measures required of organizers.

Citizen security and municipal civil protection

Within the municipal territory, the mayor is the highest authority of the Municipal Police and local emergency and civil protection services. In the context of a mass event, he promotes:

– Specific Municipal Police devices for access, crowd control, and monitoring administrative infractions.
– Activation of municipal emergency or self-protection plans linked to the event.
– Operational coordination with SAMUR, Madrid Firefighters, and other local services.

However, public order in the strict sense and general citizen security correspond to the General State Administration (Government Delegation), through National Police and Civil Guard. For a large-format fan zone, security boards and coordinated plans between City Council and Delegation are common.

Urban mobility, traffic cuts, and transport

Traffic competence in the city is essentially municipal, so the mayor, through the corresponding areas, can:

– Approve street closures, detours, reserve lanes for public transport or emergencies, and establish pedestrian perimeters.
– Reorganize parking, loading and unloading, and resident zones during the event.
– Coordinate with EMT Madrid reinforcements or detours of urban bus lines.

If the event affects regional infrastructures or services (Metro, Cercanías, interurban buses), the Community of Madrid's competence comes into play, so the City Council must coordinate with the Regional Transport Consortium and other regional or state operators.

Noise, schedules, and neighborhood coexistence

Municipal ordinances on environment and protection against noise pollution set noise limits and time slots. The mayor can promote:

– Authorizations for special schedules for music, megaphony, or projections, within legal margins.
– Additional volume or schedule restrictions to make the event compatible with neighborhood rest.
– Inspection and sanction devices against breaches of imposed conditions.

Public contracting and sponsorship

If the fan zone is organized by the City Council itself, the Governing Board, under the mayor's direction, decides on contracting:

– Production, assembly, complementary private security, cleaning, and logistics services.
– Supplies (screens, sound, lighting, fencing) and other technical elements.

All in accordance with the Public Sector Contracts Law and internal municipal regulations. It can also approve agreements or sponsorships with private entities (for example, sports sponsors), always respecting principles of transparency, competition when appropriate, and compatibility with the general interest and outdoor advertising ordinances.

Competency limits and margin of political decision

Although the mayor has undeniable prominence, his actions are limited by:

– The exclusive competencies of the Government Delegation in public order and state citizen security.
– The competencies of the Community of Madrid in health, major emergencies, regional civil protection, and regional transport.
– The legal framework itself (state and regional laws, municipal ordinances) and the control of the contentious-administrative jurisdiction.

Within these limits, the political margin is relevant: choosing whether or not to hold the event, its scale, the specific location in the city, the degree of municipal involvement (main organizer or mere facilitator), the level of associated public services, and the conditions required of the promoter. The fan zone is, therefore, a political decision of the mayor and his team, channeled through the administrative competencies of the City Council and necessary inter-administrative coordination.

Basic legal requirements to install giant screens and organize events in public spaces in Madrid

To install giant screens and organize events open to the public in public spaces of the Madrid City Council, as a general rule, two major types of permits are needed: authorization for occupation of public roads (for using streets or squares) and the license or responsible declaration of public spectacle or recreational activity (for the event itself). Added to this are specific requirements regarding safety, capacity, and emergency plans, as well as strict compliance with noise and schedule regulations. Additionally, in medium or large events, prior coordination with Municipal Police, SAMUR, and other emergency services is common. All this is supported by state, regional (Community of Madrid), and the City Council's own ordinances, which specify the procedure.

1. Authorization for occupation of public roads

Whenever structures are installed in municipal public space (giant screens, stages, tents, technical booths, fencing, etc.), a public domain occupation authorization is required. This is requested from the Madrid City Council, usually electronically, indicating the exact location, implementation plan, dates and times of assembly, event, and dismantling, and the technical characteristics of the elements to be installed. It is common to require a civil liability insurance and the commitment to leave the space in its original state, with a bond possibly required. The underlying legal framework is set by Law 7/1985, Regulating the Bases of Local Regime (municipal competencies) and the corresponding municipal ordinance on occupation of public roads, which specifies fees, application deadlines, and conditions.

2. License or responsible declaration of public spectacle

The event itself (giant screen projection, concert, sports broadcast, etc.) falls under the category of public spectacles or recreational activities. In the Community of Madrid, the general framework is Law 17/2012, on Public Spectacles and Recreational Activities and the General Regulation of Police of Public Spectacles and Recreational Activities (Royal Decree 2816/1982). Depending on the scale and risk, the City Council may require:
• a specific license for the event (with technical project, safety report, etc.), or
• a responsible declaration, whereby the organizer declares compliance with all legal and technical requirements.

Usually required are a descriptive report of the event, expected attendees, security and access control measures, insurance contracts, and, if applicable, technical reports on electrical installations, structures, and audiovisual equipment. All this is complemented by the municipal ordinance on public spectacles and recreational activities, which details when a license or responsible declaration is required and the advance time for processing.

3. Safety, capacity, and emergency plans

A critical point is people's safety. Based on Law 17/2012 and safety and self-protection regulations, the City Council may require:
• setting a maximum capacity for the space, with technical criteria (evacuation routes, usable square meters, physical barriers, etc.);
• a self-protection or emergency and evacuation plan proportional to the risk, covering exit routes, meeting points, incident protocols, avalanche management, and supply failures;
• presence of private security, auxiliary personnel, and access control to prevent overcrowding and ensure orderly entry and exit;
• adaptation of installations (electrical, screen structures, towers, supports) to technical and risk prevention regulations.

The emergency plan is usually submitted with the license or responsible declaration application and may require a favorable report from municipal technical services and, in large events, specific coordination with civil protection.

4. Noise, schedules, and acoustic pollution

Sound emission (music, narration, audience, etc.) is limited by Law 37/2003, on Noise, Decree 89/2006 of the Community of Madrid on acoustic pollution, and the Municipal Ordinance on Protection against Acoustic Pollution. The latter sets:
• maximum noise levels for temporary outdoor activities, varying by schedules and zones;
• stricter time restrictions in residential areas and at night;
• possible obligation to provide acoustic studies and use sound limiters or other mitigation measures.

For a giant screen with sound, the impact on neighbors, health centers, or educational centers is especially analyzed, and the City Council may condition or reduce schedules, impose power limits, or even deny authorization if the acoustic risk is excessive.

5. Coordination with Municipal Police, SAMUR, and other services

In events that concentrate many people, the usual practice is that, based on Law 17/2012 and civil protection regulations, the organizer must:
• coordinate with the Municipal Police for traffic cuts or detours, access control to the venue, incident prevention, and evacuation support;
• foresee the presence or notification of SAMUR and, if applicable, firefighters and civil protection services, depending on capacity and risk;
• include these aspects in the self-protection plan and comply with prescriptions issued by municipal services.

Conclusion and normative reference

In summary, any project to install giant screens in public spaces in Madrid must consider: authorization for occupation of public roads, license or responsible declaration of spectacle, compliance with safety and capacity requirements, strict respect for noise and schedule limits, and operational coordination with municipal services. The general framework is governed, among others, by Law 7/1985, Law 37/2003 on Noise, Royal Decree 2816/1982, Law 17/2012 of the Community of Madrid, and Decree 89/2006, along with the municipal ordinances of Madrid on public roads, spectacles, and acoustic pollution. However, specific requirements depend on the type and size of the event, so the current ordinance and specific instructions from the City Council for the particular case must always be reviewed.