Iberanime Santarém 2026: The Countdown Begins for Portugal's Biggest Japanese Culture Festival
Exciting news for Portuguese anime and manga fans! Iberanime, the country's largest Japanese pop culture organization, is preparing to make its mark in the city of Santarém in 2026. Announced under the name Road to Iberanime Santarém 2026, the event will take place on May 16-17, 2026, at the CNEMA (Centro Nacional de Exposições e Mercados Agrícolas) center. Having hosted over 34,000 visitors last year, the festival aims to raise the bar even higher this year.
One of the biggest surprises of the event is that the famous Japanese boy band MADKID will perform in Portugal for the first time. Known for the opening songs of The Rising of the Shield Hero anime, the group will provide fans with an unforgettable concert experience. Additionally, the SOSOSO (Miyu Ukiyo and DRFTR) project, which combines pop and punk sounds, is among the guests who will take the stage. Swiss Wynter, one of the well-known names in the cosplay world, will meet fans at the event as both a jury member and a workshop leader.
Iberanime Santarém 2026 is not limited to concerts and offers a wide range of activities. A massive Gaming area ranging from Akihabara-style arcades to e-sports tournaments, Cosplay World Masters qualifiers, and traditional Japanese arts (calligraphy, martial arts) workshops await visitors. This year's edition will also feature innovative sections such as K-pop and J-pop dance competitions, mental health sessions for youth well-being, and a Japanese cuisine competition for gastronomy students.
Held in major cities like Lisbon and Porto since 2010, Iberanime has begun offering fans a wider and more comfortable space by moving to the CNEMA center in Santarém. To facilitate transportation, the organizers provide a 30% discount on CP (Comboios de Portugal) train tickets and a free shuttle service from the Santarém station to the event area. Tickets are currently on sale through the official website and are offered with early-bird advantages. This giant gathering in Portugal proves once again how dynamic the anime community in Europe is.
