Juan Francisco Funes named Feria de Málaga 2026 pregonero after returning Málaga to LaLiga
Juan Francisco Funes, Málaga coach who returned the club to LaLiga, will deliver the Feria de Málaga 2026 opening speech on Aug. 15 at El Cortijo de Torres.
Juan Francisco Funes, the coach who led Málaga back to Spain’s top flight, has been named pregonero for the Feria de Málaga 2026. The appointment, announced by Mayor Francisco de la Torre at La Rosaleda, recognizes Funes’s role in the club’s recent revival and his growing stature in the city. The announcement confirms Funes will open the city’s principal festival on August 15 at 21:00 at El Cortijo de Torres.
Funes named pregonero for Feria de Málaga 2026
The city of Málaga formally selected Juan Francisco Funes as this year’s pregonero, a ceremonial role reserved for figures with a notable civic or cultural impact. The designation comes after a season in which Funes restored Málaga to LaLiga, consolidating his status as a central public figure in 2026.
City officials framed the appointment as both a tribute to the club’s sporting achievement and a celebration of a coach who has connected with supporters and citizens alike. The pregón is scheduled for August 15 at 21:00 in El Cortijo de Torres, marking the official start of the Feria de Málaga.
Announcement filmed at La Rosaleda with Mayor Francisco de la Torre
The mayor delivered the news in a short video recorded at La Rosaleda, where he surprised Funes with the invitation on the pitch. In the footage, Mayor Francisco de la Torre asks Funes directly whether he will accept the role, and Funes replies immediately with evident enthusiasm.
The city released the clip through official municipal channels, emphasizing the symbolic link between the club’s revival and the broader civic pride felt across Málaga. The setting — the club’s home stadium — underscored the municipal endorsement of the coach’s public profile and the cultural significance of the appointment.
From PE teacher to LaLiga coach: Funes’s methods and rise
Juan Francisco Funes, a Loja-born professional who trained as a physical education teacher, has become as well known for his approach to management as for the results he delivered. His methods combine calm leadership, close communication with players, and a focus on enjoyment as a competitive tool, according to those inside the club.
Team talks reportedly draw on film references and philosophical touchstones, and Funes’s emphasis on composure and clarity has been credited with changing the dressing-room atmosphere. That blend of pedagogy and personality has helped the coach win the affection of both players and supporters, turning him into a public figure beyond sport.
How Funes’s style translated into results on the pitch
Tactical tweaks and psychological preparation under Funes produced measurable improvement across the season, helping Málaga secure the promotion that returned the club to LaLiga. Players and staff cite his ability to simplify complex ideas and to build trust as crucial to the team’s turnaround.
The coach’s insistence that enjoyment and competitiveness are complementary has been a recurring theme in interviews and internal communications. Observers note that this culture shift reduced pressure and improved performance in critical fixtures.
Timing aligned with league delay and World Cup absences
City and club officials said the timing of the Feria appointment was made possible by a delay in Málaga’s league opener, a disruption linked to the participation of Atlético de Madrid players in the latter stages of the World Cup. That postponement cleared the coach’s schedule and allowed him to accept the pregonero duties without conflict.
Municipal planners welcomed the chance to have a high-profile local figure preside over the festival’s opening, noting that the overlap of the football calendar and international tournaments can create logistical challenges. Funes’s availability therefore presents a rare convergence of sporting success and civic celebration.
A roll call of past presenters highlights the honor
The role of pregonero at the Feria de Málaga has a long history of inviting prominent personalities to address the city, and Funes joins a diverse list of predecessors. Past speakers have included entertainers, writers and athletes — names such as María Teresa Campos, Antonio Banderas, Pablo Alborán, Chiquito de la Calzada, Dani Rovira, Manolo Sarria, Manuel Alcántara, Antonio de la Torre and Alberto Díaz.
Municipal officials framed Funes’s selection as consistent with that tradition, pointing to his contribution to the city’s cultural life through sport. The comparison with previous pregoneros underscores the extent to which the coach’s achievement has been received as a civic milestone.
City reaction and expectations ahead of August 15
Public reaction to the appointment was swift, with supporters and civic leaders expressing approval on social platforms and in local commentary. Many fans see Funes’s pregón as a symbolic bridge between the club’s recent sporting success and the communal festivities that define Málaga’s summer calendar.
Organizers expect the speech to draw a broad audience and to emphasize themes of community, resilience and shared pride in the club’s return to the top flight. The city is preparing a program around the opening night that will combine traditional Feria elements with recognition of Málaga’s footballing achievement.
The designation also raises expectations about the content of the pregón itself; observers anticipate references to teamwork, the city’s relationship with its club, and the role of sport in civic life. Given Funes’s background in education and his habit of drawing on cultural references, many expect a speech that will blend personal reflection with broader civic messages.
The municipal release and the coach’s public response have already become a talking point in local media, highlighting the interplay between sport, culture and identity in Málaga. Planning is underway to ensure that the event both honors the festival’s traditions and accommodates the large audience anticipated for the coach’s appearance.
Supporters, city officials and the club will now count down to August 15, when Juan Francisco Funes will step onto the Feria stage and deliver his message to a city that has come to view him as both a sporting leader and a public ambassador. The appointment cements his status as one of Málaga’s most visible figures in 2026 and frames the promotion to LaLiga as a source of shared civic celebration.
