Bullfighting crowds fall sharply despite funding and pockets of renewed interest
New report points to long-term decline in attendance even as subsidies and tourism keep the tradition visible
Bullfighting in Spain may still be making headlines, but new figures suggest the reality inside the arenas tells a very different story.According to a report by the Andalusian Association for the Defense of Animals (ASANDA), attendance at bullfighting events has fallen by 75% over the past 25 years, dropping from more than 8.9 million spectators in 2007 to a projected 1.9 million in 2025. The group describes this as a “structural decline” that has been unfolding for nearly two decades.
This comes at a time when the spectacle appears, at least in some areas, to be enjoying a revival. Recent coverage highlighted a surge in interest in Málaga, where international visitors, particularly from Germany, have been helping to boost attendance at local events. However, the new data suggests that such trends may be localised rather than reflective of the national picture.ASANDA says the “golden age” of bullfighting ended almost 20 years ago. While the sector has recovered from the sharp collapse during the pandemic in 2020, current ticket sales have only returned to levels that were already well below the peaks of the early 2000s.
The report is based on Andalusian data, which the association says is the only regional dataset that tracks spectator numbers in detail. “Using Andalusian data on spectators per show, we have calculated the average number of spectators per type of event,” the group explains. These averages are then applied to national figures for ticketed events, excluding street festivals and bull runs, which remain popular but are not directly comparable.
Official figures show that 692 bullfighting events took place in 2025, although this total includes all formats. ASANDA focuses only on ticketed events to estimate attendance.
Despite the drop in spectators, public funding continues to play a significant role. Data compiled by PACMA shows that the Toro de Lidia Foundation received €2,325,000 between 2020 and 2024. Additional regional support includes €840,000 from the Andalusian government and €1,192,000 from Castile and León, while Madrid approved a further €1.7 million in March 2025 for its Fiesta del Toro.The Andalusian Regional Government maintains that demand has not declined, suggesting instead that viewing habits may be shifting, pointing to strong television audiences.
Even so, ASANDA’s conclusion is stark. “Bullfighting in arenas has not recovered from the collapse that began in 2008,” the report states, adding that current activity levels are now sustained by “only a few large arenas.”
Image: Vincent Godfroy/Pixabay
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