Comic-Con Málaga 2026 opens panel reservations: how the system works and when applications close

San Diego Comic-Con Málaga 2026 is entering its final countdown, and one of the most important processes for ticket holders starts this Friday. From 11:00 am on 25 September, attendees will be able to request reservations for selected panels taking place during the convention, which runs from 1 to 4 October at FYCMA.

The reservation window will remain open for exactly 48 hours, closing at 11:00 am on Sunday, 27 September.

There is one important point to keep in mind: places will not be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Applying at 11:01 am will not give anyone an advantage over someone who submits their request later. All valid applications received within the deadline will enter the same lottery.

Panel reservations open for 48 hours

The system has been designed to avoid turning the most popular panels into a race to be first online.

The reservation period starts:

Friday, 25 September → 11:00 am

and ends:

Sunday, 27 September → 11:00 am

During that period, attendees can log into their Fan Portal and check which sessions across the four days are available for reservation.

Once the deadline closes, a lottery will be held among all applications, with results due to be communicated during Sunday 27.

This means fans can take time to review the programme before deciding which sessions matter most to them.

What do you need to reserve a Comic-Con Málaga panel?

Having a general ticket alone is not enough to complete the reservation process.

Attendees need an active Fan Portal account, with the relevant event ticket linked to the profile for the day on which the requested panel takes place.

Reservations are handled exclusively through the Fan Portal.

The official website and app can be used to browse the programme, search for activities, save favourites and organise a personal schedule, but seat requests themselves must be completed through the Fan Portal.

Comic-Con Málaga will offer more than 300 hours of programming across film, television, gaming, comics, manga, anime and other areas of popular culture.

Hall M and Studio M: which panels can be reserved?

The reservation system applies in particular to selected sessions taking place in Hall M and Studio M, two of the convention’s main programming spaces.

However, the two rooms do not work in exactly the same way.

In Hall M, some activities are grouped into blocks containing several consecutive sessions. A reservation for one of these blocks allows the attendee to remain inside for the different activities included.

In Studio M, reservations are handled panel by panel, and the room is cleared after each session.

The official attendee guide also sets out reservation procedures for the three Creators' District rooms, while other spaces operate differently.

What about Auditoriums 1 and 2?

Activities scheduled in Auditoriums 1 and 2 do not require advance reservations.

Access is via the General Queue and on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to available capacity.

That makes it important to check where each activity is taking place before planning the day.

Holding a general Comic-Con Málaga ticket does not automatically guarantee a seat at every panel. Each room has its own access rules.

Up to four seats can be requested together

One of the most useful options for people attending with friends or family is the ability to request several seats in a single application.

For each panel, users can request between one and four seats, including their own.

If the application is successful in the lottery, the full group requested will be allocated. In other words, if four seats are requested, the result will be all four or none; the system will not allocate only two or three.

Requesting more seats does not improve the chances of being selected.

It simply allows couples, families or groups of friends to try to attend the same panel together.

How are companion seats assigned?

This part of the process is particularly important.

At the initial request stage, attendees do not necessarily need to identify all companions immediately.

If the request is successful and multiple seats have been allocated, the main applicant will then need to assign the additional seats using each companion’s Fan Portal tag name.

Those companions must also have an active account and a valid ticket for the relevant day.

Once assigned, each companion will need to accept the invitation from their own profile within the specified deadline.

For minors, tickets remain linked to the account of the adult who purchased them and must be included when calculating the total number of seats requested.

What if you want several panels at the same time?

The system allows users to request overlapping sessions during the initial application stage.

However, if two activities clash, only one reservation can ultimately be awarded.

Attendees can also request activities across different days, provided they have a valid ticket linked to their account for each relevant day.

For that reason, it is worth reviewing the full programme and deciding on priorities before submitting requests.

No reservation does not necessarily mean no entry

Fans who are unsuccessful in the lottery may still have another chance to attend.

Part of the capacity in Hall M and Studio M will be reserved for the General Queue, with entry granted on a first-come, first-served basis on the day.

Any reservations that are not confirmed, or seats that become available later, may also be added to this queue.

So failing to secure a reservation does not automatically mean missing the panel altogether.

For the most popular sessions, however, arriving early will be particularly important.

There will be no waiting list

The organisers have also clarified that there will be no waiting list and no second lottery round.

Seats that are not allocated, not accepted within the required deadline or later become available will move into the relevant general-access system for each room.

Successful attendees will later find a QR code in their Fan Portal, which they must present in the dedicated reservation queue.

Arriving on time will also be essential, as a reservation may be lost if the attendee does not check in within the required period before the panel begins.

Comic-Con Málaga 2026 runs from 1 to 4 October

The opening of panel reservations marks one of the final steps before Málaga once again becomes a major meeting point for fans of pop culture.

San Diego Comic-Con Málaga 2026 will take place from Thursday, 1 October to Sunday, 4 October at the Málaga Trade Fair and Congress Centre, FYCMA.

The programme includes more than 300 hours of content, with panels, guest appearances, workshops, gaming, cosplay, comics, anime and other experiences.

For those who already have a ticket, the next challenge is deciding which sessions they simply do not want to miss.

Key reservation dates

• Applications open: Friday, 25 September at 11:00 am
• Applications close: Sunday, 27 September at 11:00 am
• Allocation: by lottery, not first come, first served
• Results: throughout Sunday, 27 September
• Seats per request: between 1 and 4
• Requirement: valid ticket for the relevant day and an active Fan Portal account
• Where: exclusively through the Fan Portal

Original source

The primary source is San Diego Comic-Con Málaga itself, which has published the full reservation rules, deadlines, lottery process, room access system and group booking requirements.

The official information can be checked on the San Diego Comic-Con Málaga 2026 reservations page.