Shakira and Gerard Piqué faced court in Barcelona over their children’s visitation schedule. She wants shorter holidays to be handled in Miami to protect their routine.
The hearing took place in Barcelona on October 6, 2026, with Shakira and Gerard Piqué giving evidence about the arrangement for their two children. Shakira wants Piqué to travel to Miami during short holiday periods. She says Milan and Sasha should not cross the Atlantic for brief stays.
Her stated priority is the children’s emotional, physical and academic wellbeing. She also wants them to keep regular contact with their father.
The request does not cut the time Milan and Sasha spend with Piqué. The issue is who carries the travel burden.
The case is being heard by Barcelona’s Court of First Instance No. 18 as a civil family-law procedure linked to the implementation of the parents’ agreement.
The children have lived in the United States with their mother since April 2023. They are 13 and 11 respectively.
The proposed change would require a review of the separation agreement reached by the former couple in 2022. A judge in Barcelona ratified that agreement in December of the same year. EFE describes the proceeding as a review of the existing separation arrangement, not a new dispute over divorce or finances.
Short trips can bring jet lag and disrupt the school routine the boys keep in Miami. Shakira argues that the adults should share that disruption instead.
Shakira appeared with family-law attorney Carmen Varela, whose practice handles applications to modify court measures and international family disputes. Piqué was again represented by Ramón Tamborero, who is associated with educational programs in family and children’s law.
The practical question is not contact with their father. It is who absorbs the cost and strain of travel between Miami and Barcelona.
For a holiday of only a few days, Shakira’s proposal would put the journey on the parent rather than the children. La Vanguardia also presents the dispute as a question of travel arrangements, not a request to reduce Piqué’s time with Milan and Sasha.
That is the central point.
According to a statement obtained by EL PAÍS, the singer says longer periods in the children’s school, social and family routine would protect "su bienestar emocional, físico y académico". The statement also asks that the children’s privacy be protected.
Piqué’s lawyer Ramón Tamborero told La Vanguardia that negotiations continued until the last moment. The judge and the public prosecutor’s office took part in efforts to keep the case out of court on Tuesday. No out-of-court agreement was reached.
The court date fell during Shakira’s stay in Madrid. She returned to the capital on September 14 before beginning her concert residency. She later added a final show for Monday, October 12.
Across four consecutive weekends, she has performed at Makondo Park in Villaverde Alto. The venue is a theme park created for concertgoers.
La Vanguardia and Divinity reported that Shakira traveled from Madrid to Barcelona for the hearing. She arrived with Varela. Piqué came separately with his lawyer.
The children also appear on large screens during "Acróstico". The link between the family schedule and the singer’s public work is clear, but the legal request is narrower. Short visits should not require the boys to make a long trip that interrupts their routine.
Shakira’s Madrid concerts were previously covered in this earlier concert report.
The court must now review whether the travel pattern agreed in 2022 still fits the children’s life in Miami. On the facts presented, Shakira’s argument is limited and concrete: brief holidays create long journeys, while a parent can travel instead.
The proposal would shift the disruption from the children to the adults responsible for the arrangement. Reports from EFE, La Vanguardia and other outlets published after the October 6 hearing do not indicate that a final public ruling on new visitation rules has been issued.
