RTVE confirms that Benidorm Fest 2026 will be broadcast in 4K: a historic leap forward in free-to-air music television

• The country’s most watched music festival will make the leap to 4K HDR to offer an unprecedented visual and audio experience on free-to-air television.
• The public broadcaster is leading the implementation of UHD in Spain with Benidorm Fest, the World Cup and the King’s Cup as the flagships of its new 4K strategy.
• The 4K HDR Summit will return in 2026 with its twelfth edition, which will take place from 10 to 13 November.

RTVE has confirmed that Benidorm Fest 2026 will be produced and broadcast entirely in Ultra High Definition (4K HDR), a qualitative leap that will transform the experience of the country’s most influential music festival. The announcement was made during the 4K HDR Summit 2025, held at the Cartuja Auditorium in Seville TechPark, managed by Yventu, where the corporation also announced that it will broadcast the 2026 Football World Cup and the semi-finals and final of the Copa del Rey in 4K.

“Benidorm Fest will have a new lease of life in 2026, with image and sound that will take the show to another level,” said Adriana Vázquez, RTVE’s Director of Production and Media. “We are unstoppable in this technological evolution that seeks to offer the best possible television to the public.”

From left to right, Javier Sánchez, Director of Audiovisual Policy and Public Service at RTVE; Adriana Vázquez, Director of Production and Media at RTVE; and Jesús García, Technical Director at TVE.

The announcement consolidates RTVE as the European leader in free-to-air UHD broadcasting, bearing in mind that since 2024 its main channel has been broadcasting in 4K with more than 99% national coverage. For Javier Sánchez, Director of Audiovisual Policy and Public Service, this advance is not only technical but also strategic: “UHD is part of our obligation as a public service: to reach all citizens without barriers, including in the major cultural and musical events that unite the country.”

For his part, Jesús García, director of RTVE’s Technical Department, explained the infrastructure that already allows for high-level productions in 4K HDR: renovations of mobile units, continuity in IP, studios prepared in Sant Cugat and Torrespaña, and new conversion and recording systems. García particularly highlighted that RTVE has already produced events such as the National Day Parade in UHD, which was broadcast at the RTVE stand in the demo area of the 4K HDR Summit 2025, attended by more than 550 people.

The corporation also confirmed that it is working with the acquisitions department to expand its range of film and fiction content in 4K, including titles specially selected for this format. “We want UHD to cease to be something exceptional and become the new normal in our programming,” García stressed.

Radiotelevisión Española demo area during the eleventh edition of the 4K HDR Summit in Seville.

The 4K HDR Summit 2025 —organised by Medina Media Events— brought together more than 70 experts from 20 countries, making Seville the European epicentre of audiovisual innovation. The event once again highlighted the potential of 4K, virtual production, AI applied to audiovisuals, immersive experiences and the future of free-to-air television.

With the addition of Benidorm Fest, the World Cup and the Copa del Rey to its UHD catalogue, RTVE is taking a definitive step towards European leadership in new generation television: 4K for everyone, free-to-air, free of charge and without pay platforms. This commitment reinforces the musical, cultural and social identity of public television at a key moment of technological transformation.

The 4K HDR Summit will return in 2026 with its twelfth edition, which will take place from 10 to 13 November.

The 4K HDR Summit 2025 is organised by Medina Media Events and supported by RTVE, SES, RTVA, Axión, Appear, Ateme, Google Cloud, Elecard, Aicox con Small Pixels, AJA, UWA, Lawo, Eutelsat, Synamedia, Rohde & Schwarz, Canon, Hispasat, Cellnex, Alfalite, Netgear, MoMe, Datos Media con Telestream, Sapec, AEQ, Gsertel, Techex, Cisco, Avixa, Hurí, Sevilla FC, Vestel, Daewoo, JVC and Toshiba, among others.

All presentations will be available for viewing on demand through ‘El Observatorio’, Medina Media Events’ digital platform, where each presentation can be viewed throughout the year, 24 hours a day, free of charge.