‘Letters and Football’ kicks off on Tuesday with Vila-Matas, Paco Gómez and Marta San Miguel

The 2026 edition of ‘Letters and Football’ begins on Tuesday at 19:00 CEST.

The festival, organised by the Athletic Club Fundazioa, starts with an opening day featuring a stellar line-up of guests who will discuss the power of images in football: Enrique Vila-Matas, Paco Gómez and Marta San Miguel.

Entry is free, subject to availability, for the entire festival from Tuesday until Saturday 30 May. San Mames VIP Area's Sala Este will become an unmissable venue for lovers of literature and culture. 

Photography and football 

Enrique Vila-Matas is one of the most renowned contemporary writers in Spanish literature. His work is characterised by a blend of fiction, essay and literary reflection, with frequent references to other authors and to the very act of writing.

He has published influential novels such as “Bartleby and Company”, “The Malady of Montano” and “Paris Never Ends”. Throughout his career, he has received numerous international awards and his works have been translated into many languages. 

He will be joined by the photographer, editor and writer Paco Gómez, best known for “Los Modlin” (2013), a project that mixes research, photography and storytelling based on the discovery of an abandoned family archive in Madrid. His work straddles the boundaries of documentary photography, memory and narrative. 

Also taking part in the round table discussion will be the novelist, journalist and screenwriter Marta San Miguel, whose debut novel, “Antes del salto” (Before the Jump), was selected as one of the best debut works of 2022 by various specialist media outlets. 

‘Letras y Futbol’ 

‘Letters and Football’ is a cultural festival organised by the Athletic Club Foundation, with special sponsorship from the Meliá Bilbao hotel and support from the Spanish Government’s Ministry of Culture and Sport.