Cartagena hosted the 33rd edition of the Regional Youth Football League Cup at various fields in the city, as well as in La Unión and Torre Pacheco. The tournament, which has now been established as one of the most important spring sporting events in the region, has brought together close to 5,000 young and passionate footballers, in both male and female categories.

A successful event, bringing together young athletes in the hub of Cartagena

The event, organised by the Cartagena City Council in collaboration with other institutions and entities, has brought together sports schools, clubs, and families in this exciting, fun, and vibrant sporting event on the Costa Calida. On Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11, dozens of teams competed at the different venues across the area.

In total, the competition featured 13 categories, ranging from beginner levels to Under-14 and Under-16 categories. The tournament also included Under-14 and Under-18 for the girls’ categories, reflecting a growing support for women’s football and a greater interest in female sports participation from the children. 

The matches were held simultaneously on more than a dozen municipal pitches, marking the tournament as a major sporting event in Cartagena. Among some of the values highlighted during the event for the children was teamwork, respect, and camaraderie.

The event also generated a significant social and economic impact on Cartagena; the arrival of players, coaches and their families generated income for sectors including hospitality and commerce, and reinforced Cartagena’s position as a leader in grassroots football.

Sports on the Costa Calida

When it comes to sporting events, the Costa Calida has already showcased the ability to host major tournaments. The Mar Menor, for instance, one of Europe’s most important lagoons, is gearing up for the final and main event of a recent string of international regatta competitions, the ILCA 4 European Championship.

Among other sporting events that have attracted international visitors in the region are a dressage competition, which Murcia has hosted for the first time; beach football, for which Mazarron recently hosted a tournament; and motorcycling, which is increasingly popular in the Region of Murcia.

The Region of Murcia has once more showcased its prowess as an ideal filming location, as an audiovisual production released a casting call for extras for a new shoot taking place in April. The casting agency of the major audiovisual production, Modfie, specified that the series requires people of African and Arab origin, as well as children.

Residents can look out for a new filming in Murcia from mid-April to mid-May

The shoot will take place in Murcia from Monday, April 20 to Thursday, May 14. The series, a large-scale production, will also be filming in different locations across Spain, including in Almeria on April 17 and in Barcelona from May 18 to June 5.

This is far from the only production choosing Murcia as a filming location; the Region has been popular with audiovisual projects for some time, due to its variety of natural environments and the cost-effectiveness of filming licences in Murcia.

Big-name projects frequently choose Murcia

Another series, Movistar Plus+’s Secuestro, also began filming in Murcia on Thursday, April 7. The series is headed by director Marcel Barrena, a Barcelona-born filmmaker who achieved the Goya Award for Best Film for El 47.

The most recent big-name project, which wrapped in January 2026, was El Desvío, a movie that was filmed entirely in various municipalities in Murcia. El Desvío stars Javier Pereira, who shares the lead role with Roberto Álamo and Guillermo Campra.

The Region of Murcia, star-studded in 2025

Additionally, 2025 saw an impressive list of cinematic projects taking place in the Region of Murcia. Famed actor Norman Reedus was spotted in the Port of Escombreras in Cartagena where the final scenes of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon were filmed; likewise, the centre of Murcia was transformed into a street in Budapest for the filming of the Hollywood blockbuster FAST, an action thriller created by Taylor Sheridan for Warner Bros Pictures and starring Brandon Sklenar.

Charming local municipalities in the spotlight

Cartagena, San Javier, Mazarron, Puerto de Mazarron, La Manga, the Calblanque Regional Park, Playa Honda and Los Belones have also been some noteworthy filming locations, hosting shoots for various big-name projects including Movistar series El Inmortal, Netflix miniseries Toda la verdad sobre mis mentiras, and the music video for Tuchat by Spanish singer and rapper Quevedo.

Murcia residents interested in participating as extras in big-name projects are often in luck, as casting agencies frequently release casting calls in the Region as Murcia becomes more and more popular with audiovisual projects by the year.

Emergency services in the Region of Murcia acted quickly and managed to rescue an injured hiker in the Sierra Espuña, a popular mountain range and regional park located in the municipality of Totana. The hiker, a 52-year-old man, had suffered a fall that caused a knee injury.

A 112 call about an injured hiker in a popular Murcia mountain range

The incident occurred at 8:21am on the morning of Saturday, April 11. The Emergency Coordination Centre received a 112 call from the hiker himself, who alerted them about his fall and told them he was no longer able to walk. He alerted Emergency Services to his location, but the area was difficult to access, according to an environmental agent who was deployed to the site.

In order to rescue the hiker, the General Directorate of Citizen Security and Emergencies deployed a helicopter from the Air Rescue Group of the Fire and Rescue Consortium.

The hiker was successfully evacuated by air and immediately taken to the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Clinical Hospital, where he was attended to and given treatment. The quick rescue and treatment of the injured man is yet another example of Murcia’s emergency responders giving their all to ensure residents’ safety above all else.

The Sierra Espuña: A hidden gem, more popular by the day

The Sierra Espuña Regional Park is a popular location for hiking, day trips, picnics, and educational workshops. The park, considered one of Spain’s hidden gems, has recently seen a surge in visitor numbers, as reported through the Visitor Information and Assistance Services in Murcia.

The Tour of the Region of Murcia, one of the region’s most anticipated sporting events, also saw cyclists pass through the Sierra Espuña in mid-February of this year. It is a popular area not only because of its viability as a hiking and cycling hotspot, but for its acclaimed natural beauty.

How to prevent and respond to accidents while hiking in Murcia’s mountains

However, hikers, cyclists and other visitors to the park should be aware of what to do in the case of accidents. When going out for a hike in the Sierra Espuña or another beautiful area of Spain, it is advised to follow these rules:

• Always let a friend, family member, or neighbour know your whereabouts before setting out.
• Try to limit sports activities to the daytime, when emergency services would be able to spot you easily if you were lost or injured.
• Always carry a charged phone or a portable charger with you. Preferably, have GPS location available on your phone.
• When hiking, remember to stay hydrated and keep snacks on hand.
• If lost or injured, call 112 Emergency Services and give them your information to the best of your ability.