ISPO 2026: New Start in Amsterdam Instead of Munich

<p>After decades at the Munich location, ISPO is opening a new chapter: in 2026, the world's most important trade fair for sports articles, outdoor and winter sports will move to Amsterdam for the first time. With the relocation, the trade fair is not only changing location but also undertaking a strategic reorientation under new organizational leadership.</p>

<h2>New Location, New Dates</h2> <p>ISPO 2026 will take place from November 3-5 at the RAI Amsterdam venue. The first day, November 3, is reserved for the so-called Leaders Summit, before the actual ISPO Expo opens its doors on November 4 and 5. Thus, the trade fair bids farewell to the historic Munich location and takes the leap to the Netherlands – a step intended to underscore the international orientation of the event.</p> <p>The new ISPO is being organized by Raccoon Media Group in partnership with Messe München. This cooperation brings together many years of trade fair expertise from Munich with fresh organizational impetus. In parallel with ISPO, the International Running Expo also takes place, allowing visitors and exhibitors to benefit from synergies between the two specialist areas of sport and running.</p>

<h2>A New Mission for the Industry</h2> <p>With the move to Amsterdam, ISPO is pursuing a new mission: the global sports and outdoor industry should be more united, meaningful connections between market participants should be created, and the passion that characterizes this community should be rekindled. The organizers emphasize that insights, innovation, and heart should be combined to set a new standard for global trade fairs.</p> <p>Traditionally, ISPO covers the entire value chain – from materials and production through brands and products to retail and customer experience. This holistic approach is being maintained at the new location and is intended to continue providing exhibitors and visitors with a comprehensive market overview.</p>

<h3>British Outdoor Industry with Dedicated Area</h3> <p>A concrete example of the new orientation is the so-called OTS Village, which is being created as part of ISPO 2026. The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA), the Outdoor Trade Show (OTS), ISPO, and Raccoon Media Group have jointly developed this new format to bring the strength of the British outdoor industry directly into the new Amsterdam trade fair format. British companies are thus being offered their own platform to network internationally with the sports and outdoor industry.</p> <p>According to the organizers, the goal of the new format is to bring together brands, retailers, distributors, buyers, industry leaders, and important communities from across Europe and beyond – with the aim of creating a more strongly networked and commercially valuable meeting point for the entire industry.</p>

<h2>Voices from Retail</h2> <p>There are also positive signals about the new location from retail practice. Pieter-Bas Stehmann, Director of EK Sport, explains: "ISPO is much more than a trade fair. It is an important networking platform that connects our retailers with other retailers and business partners from across Europe, promotes collaboration, provides inspiration, and creates new opportunities." For EK Retail, the new, more central location in Amsterdam was therefore an important reason for the partnership, as the city is much more accessible for many European retail partners than the previous Munich location.</p>

<h2>Conclusion and Outlook</h2> <p>The relocation of ISPO to Amsterdam marks a profound turning point in the long history of the trade fair. With the new organization under the leadership of Raccoon Media Group, the cooperation with Messe München, and the spatial proximity to the International Running Expo, a format is being created that places the international networking of the sports and outdoor industry at its center. Initiatives such as the OTS Village also show that regional industry associations are actively involved in the reorientation.</p> <p>Whether the relocation will unfold the desired momentum will be seen in November 2026, when exhibitors and visitors gather for the first time on the RAI Amsterdam grounds. For the industry, the central European location of Amsterdam is likely to be a decisive factor that could open up new visitor groups and business opportunities.</p>