Q2 2026 Event Radar: your guide to trade shows and conferences

The Main Event: FIBO | April 16–19, 2026 | Exhibition Centre Cologne, Germany

The annual FIBO show brings together players from the Health, Fitness and Wellness sectors. Over 1,000 exhibitors will be showcasing more than 2,000 products across 15 halls – two more than 2025. With themes of the 2026 event set to include equipment, nutrition, wellness and a hall dedicated to HYROX.

FIBO also offers networking and further education opportunities with a series of lectures and panels that make up the FIBO Congress, the Women’s Leadership Summit, and the Longevity in Hospitality Summit (separate tickets are required).

As well as the large roster of fitness personalities and influencers, attendees will include studio operators, trainers, athletes and members of the fitness community. The event also includes the IFBB (International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation) Bodybuilding Championship.

Good to know: The entire FIBO lecture programme will now feature an AI translation tool. Sessions can be translated into up to 57 languages quickly, easily and free of charge using a QR code, which will be available at the event. Visitors can listen to and read the sessions in their preferred language free of charge via mobile phone.   

 

 

Functional Fabric Fair Portland | April 7–9, 2026 | Oregon, US

Materials innovation drives performance product differentiation. The Functional Fabric Fair connects brands, textile mills and component suppliers, showcasing technical fabrics, sustainable materials and manufacturing innovations.

Why you should go: The April Oregon edition focuses on fabrics for outdoor activities and sustainable sources. For sporting goods brands finalizing material selections, FFF provides concentrated access to suppliers and emerging technologies unavailable through sales rep channels.

 

European Health and Fitness Forum | April 15, 2026 | Messe North Cologne, Germany

A precursor to – and in collaboration with – FIBO, the European Health and Fitness Forum (EHFF) 2026 is an opportunity to look at where the Fitness sector is heading. This year’s program includes deep-diving into GenZ and Gen Alpha, and the longevity of the fitness industry via client journeys.

Reason to attend: The 2026 European Health & Fitness Market Report in collaboration with Deloitte is a key feature of EHFF 2026. This important resource will provide insights to guide business decisions beyond EHFF. Wearables look set to feature heavily.

 

Global Supply Chain and Trade Conference 2026 | April 15, 2026 | Baltimore, USA

Hosted by Under Armour, and featuring keynote speeches from its Chief Supply Chain Officer and its VP Sustainability & Product Supply Operations, the American Apparel and Footwear Association event could have plenty to say to a specifically sporting goods industry member.

The 2026 agenda has its eye very much on the future, from AI-powered product passports, to reshaping supply chains under geopolitical tensions and global instability.

What to expect: Attendees should consider this an opportunity to gain practical insights they can take back and apply across their supply chain operations.

 

 

Peak 2026 | April 20–22, 2026 | Fontainebleau Las Vegas, USA

Peak 2026 (often referred to via its domain peakconf.com) is a major international summit dedicated to sportstech and innovation. Marketed as the “global home of SportsTech,” it serves as a central hub for the intersection of technology, sports management, athlete performance and fan engagement.

The conference is divided into specific content pillars: Athlete performance including biometrics and wearable tech; fan engagement; management and operations; and networking.

The event attracts a high-level audience across the sports ecosystem. It’s pitched at: executives (including representatives from the NBA, NFL, FIFA, Premier League, Formula 1, and the IOC);  founders and early-stage companies showcasing disruptive technologies; investors and private equity firms looking for the next breakthrough in sports; and innovation leaders looking to manage tech integration for stadiums, broadcasting, and team operations.

The event is notably supported by the Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC) powered by Microsoft, which often organizes shared exhibition spaces for international members to help them enter the US market.

What not to miss: The 2026 Immersive Tech Expo. A massive exhibition hall where companies give live demonstrations of cutting-edge tech. As of early 2026, the expo is a primary feature with a large percentage of booths often pre-sold.

 

China Sport Show 2026 | May 21–24, 2026 | Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center, China

Hosted by the China Sporting Goods Federation, the China Sport Show 2026 provides both a platform for Chinese sports brands and access to the Chinese market for global brands. Although located in China, the event aims to serve the entire Asia-Pacific market.

This year, exhibition areas are divided by market categories across Fitness and Wellness, Sports Consumption, and Sports Venue and Equipment categories, to align with market demand. 1,600+ exhibitors are anticipated to take part.

 

Sportaccord 2026 | May 24–28, 2026 | Baku, Azerbaijan

The SportAccord Convention 2026 brings together over 1,700 leaders from over 120 International Federations, the International Olympic Committee, and the sports business community to discuss the future of global sport. The majority of attendees come from CEO and VP level.

SportAccord also offers the opportunity for members to join the .Sport domain, ensuring that your website is easily recognisable, signifies membership within the sport community, and benefits from robust protection.

Why attend? The organizers see the event as an opportunity to achieve a year’s worth of meetings in just four days, connecting international federations, the IOC, brands, and sport leaders.

 

RiminiWellness 2026 | May 28–31, 2026 | Rimini Expo Centre, Italy

RiminiWellness is dedicated to Fitness, Wellness, business, sports, and healthy nutrition. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, the event will take place from May 28 to 31, 2026, at the Rimini Expo Centre and throughout the Rimini Riviera.

The 2026 edition is centered on the claim “Go Through,” an invitation to experience wellness as a journey across physical, mental, and emotional boundaries.

The expo spans 30 halls featuring everything from fitness equipment and medical spas to nutrition and wearable tech. 2025 saw over 130,000 visitors and 13.5M social media reach.

What not to miss? Three core competitions give an in-person and real-time insight into the biggest trends of Fitness beginning with HYROX. The massive HYROX functional fitness competition will run on all four days.

Hyrox: A brand battlefield

Europe’s largest sanctioned CrossFit event, Italian Showdown, is scheduled for May 29–31. And RiminiWellnessOFF is an off-site extension that will transform the historic city center and Riviera into an open-air gym with free classes, talks, and wellness activities.

 

Miami Swim Week 2026 | May 28–31, 2026 | Miami, USA

Described as the “official swimwear fashion week,” Miami Swim Week 2026 will feature a calendar of runway shows, immersive brand activations, trade shows, and experiences. And it’s not just Swimwear; the program also includes Wellness and Fitness.

What sets it apart? Direct to customer marketing opportunities. Unlike traditional trade shows, the “fashion week”-style placement of Miami Swim means products on show here will become content published in fashion and lifestyle publications as well as shared by influencers. The event claims a social footprint reach of over 100 million. Forbes calls it “the launching pad for swimwear and swim fashion.”

 

NRF Retail’s Big Show 2026 | June 2–4, 2026 | Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Following the massive success of the flagship “Big Show” held annually in New York City, the National Retail Federation (NRF) launched this Asia Pacific version to focus specifically on the world’s fastest-growing consumer market.  The event serves as a strategic hub for retailers looking to expand into or optimize within the APAC region.

The Big Show focuses heavily on digital transformation, agentic AI, hyperexperiential branding, and cross-border commerce. The event has a massive scale. It is expected to draw over 11,000 retail professionals and 300+ exhibitors across two floors of expo space (approx. 23,000 sqm).

This year’s theme is “The Next Now:” Over 100 conference sessions featuring C-suite speakers from major global and regional brands (e.g., Shiseido, DFI Retail Group, Google, Mastercard, and Amazon Web Services).

Expect to see lots of ideas in action. The Expo is a massive exhibition floor showcasing the latest in retail technology, including AI, robotics, smart checkout, and supply chain solutions. Retail Store Tours will offer guided tours through Singapore’s most innovative retail spaces to see concepts in action. And the Foodservice Innovation Zone (new for 2026) is a dedicated area exploring the intersection of food and retail.

Two things to watch: The Exhibitor Big Ideas series of sessions sees technology providers and retailers present real-world case studies of how specific solutions were implemented. The Innovators Showcase is a curated zone for high-growth startups and breakthrough retail technologies, expected to be 40% larger in 2026.

 

Shoptalk 2026 | June 9–11, 2026 | Barcelona, Spain

Shoptalk is widely considered the world’s premier conference for retail and e-commerce innovation. It’s the “big stage” where everyone from C-suite executives atFortune 500 brands to the founders of disruptive tech startups gather to discuss how people discover, shop for, and buy physical goods.

The 2026 flagship event in Las Vegas integrated Artificial Intelligence into every track. The Europe edition looks set to do the same.

Don’t miss: The efficient networking opportunities. The “Meetup” Program is Shoptalk’s crown jewel. It uses a proprietary algorithm to facilitate tens of thousands of double-opt-in, 15-minute meetings. Consider it speed dating for businesses, ensuring you meet the exact people who can help your company. Every ticket to Shoptalk includes complimentary access to Meetup.

 

International Health, Sports, Fitness and Wellness Trade Show 2026 | June 12–14, 2026 | Delhi, India

Featuring the usual blend of brand participation, seminars, and live activities, this year the IHFF combines three new segments: The Sporting Goods Expo, the Nutrifood Expo and Cosmocraft, dedicated to Wellness and Beauty.

Although one of the world’s largest Health, Sports, Fitness and Wellness Trade Shows, the IHFF is “open to all” and receives a high number of  both B2B and B2C visitor profiles. Consumers make up 40% of B2C visitors, with influencers another 30%.

IHFF therefore provides avenues for brands to introduce a new product or product line, with an audience of health & fitness enthusiasts as well as dealers and distributors.

Why attend? IHFF sees its size as its biggest selling point. For those looking to scale a business and gain recognition amongst other entities, the platform of an estimated 200,000 visitors across 3 days – 75,000 from trade – allows brands to maximize their visibility and increase networking and engagement to a large level.

 

Eurobike 2026 | June 24–27, 2026 | Messe Frankfurt, Germany

Not just cycling but also “ecomobility,” the Eurobike 2025 show saw 31,000 visitors from 97 countries.

This is the premier show for Eurobike under a new management team and should see the start of several planned conceptual changes. The 2026 edition is being billed as laying the foundation for a redeveloped trade show concept from 2027 onwards. A revamped hall structure will present bundled “theme worlds” including start-ups, performance, and everyday use. As in other years there will also be an extensive program on the outdoor test track and demo area.

Why go this year? Eurobike 2026 is establishing a focus on specialist retail, with the motto “Retail First.” The aim is not only to recognise the importance of specialist retail in the cycling and mobility industry but also to provide retailers with an efficient visit to a trade show, including fast-lane check-in, personal assistance, refreshment vouchers as well as transportation tickets. The show program will also include a “Retail First” expert program tailored to the needs of the retail sector.

 

Fabric and materials innovation: Q2’s technical gatherings

Beyond Portland’s Functional Fabric Fair in April, Q2 2026 features more textile and materials events addressing sustainability, performance requirements and sourcing.

Techtextil | April 21–24, 2026 | Frankfurt am Main

Discover textiles across twelve application areas, with Sporttech and Clothtech of particular relevance, and product groups that include performance apparel. The Techtextil Forum will explore the digital transformation of the textile industry and how it’s driven by AI.

 

Textiles Recycling Expo | June 24–25, 2026 | Brussels

This summer marks the introduction of the EU ban on destroying unsold textiles and footwear. Textile recycling represents one solution-strand available to the sporting apparel and clothing industry. The free-to-attend exhibition and conference in Belgium is designed for an audience across the supply chain, showcasing developments aimed at solving the issue of textile waste.

 

Other events in America

Sports Lawyers Association Annual Conference 2026 | May 13–16, 2026 | Chicago

The 51st Annual Sports Lawyers Association (SLA) Conference is the premier gathering for legal professionals in the sports industry. Following their 50th-anniversary milestone, the 2026 event focuses on the evolving global landscape of sports law.

Conference Focus: The 2026 conference aims to explore how legal professionals influence the industry and society. Key themes include: innovation and growth; governance and business; athlete advocacy and equity.

 

Switchback Spring 2026 | June 16–18, 2026 | New Orleans

For the Outdoor Industry,Switchback Spring brings business, education and networking together. The education program this year – built in partnership with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) – will be centered around the theme Equipping the Outdoor Industry for the Future. There is a strong focus on who is participating in outdoor activities and how to use and safeguard this community.