Trade shows have a reputation. Lanyards. Back-to-back meetings. A coffee you never quite finish because someone's pulling you towards the next stand. And yes, ISPO Amsterdam (3–5 November 2026) is still the place where the sports, outdoor and winter industries meet to do business.
But that's only half the story.
Look beyond the meaningful meetings and there's a plethora of extra things to discover: content worth stopping for, activations worth getting sweaty for, and a party worth staying out for. Here’s your guide.
Athlete, Influencer & Creator Programme
Powered by Fabletics, the Athlete, Influencer & Creator Programme brings together creators and inspiring names from across the sporting world. Accepted applicants get a free ticket, their own Influencers & Athletes Lounge, a guided tour of the show floor, and invite-only networking with the rest of the line-up before doors even open.
There's real substance in it too: brand content collabs, on-site creation sessions, and a curated goodie bag. Then it all winds up with an influencer brunch and access to the ISPO x IRX afterparty. If content is your job (or your passion project), this is where you'll find your people.
The content programme
This isn't a token seminar tent in the corner. ISPO has put €1 million into content for 2026, spread across six stages and more than 60 sessions. Expect sharp, future-facing conversations on everything from innovation and sustainability to retail and participation, led by voices who shape the industry rather than just talk about it.
A few of the stages worth circling in your programme:
New for 2026, there's also a podcast studio right on the exhibition floor: a fully soundproofed glass box where leading podcasters record live, 30–45-minute conversations with industry specialists. Wander over, pop on a pair of wireless headphones, and listen in without ever breaking the flow of the show around you.
Activations
Looking to get involved? ISPO's activation line-up is where you go to actually do something. Tackle a climbing wall at Peak Challenge or step into skills.lab Cube for a full 360° football experience. Racket sport fans will love testing out the latest gear in the ISPO Padel Village, snowboarders and freeskiers get street-style rail action from Snowfest, and if you just fancy a silent disco meets run, you can Follow the Beat through the streets of Amsterdam.
The ISPO Leaders Summit
Held the day before the Expo (Tuesday 3 November), the ISPO Leaders Summit is a separate, exclusive gathering for c-suite and senior decision-makers from across outdoor, winter sports and sporting goods. One day, three big conversations: participation, sustainability and fair trade. Deliberately kept apart from the expo floor so the focus stays firmly on strategy rather than footfall.
If you're the person setting direction rather than following it, this is the room to be in.
Hosted Buyer Programme
For retail decision-makers, brand innovation teams and selected distributors, the Hosted Buyer Programme is for you. Think reimbursed travel and accommodation, complimentary entry to ISPO and The International Running Expo, a dedicated retailer lounge, and even a ticket to the After Party thrown in. In return, ISPO asks for two full days on-site and a minimum of six pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings a day with exhibitors.
So yes, there are meetings in this one. But everything around them is designed to make the trip worth it.
Awards
Three programmes, one ceremony, and a genuine benchmark for what's shaping the industry. ISPO Excellence celebrates standout products and services, ISPO BrandNew is the launchpad for emerging brands and start-ups, and ISPO Textrends shines a light on innovation in fabrics, membranes and materials. Winners are announced at the After Party (more on that shortly), and if last year's list is anything to go by expect some clever engineering on show.
The After Party
On the evening of 4 November, ISPO takes over Escape Nightclub in central Amsterdam from 8pm to midnight, split across four distinct areas: quiet corners for the conversations that actually matter, a space to celebrate the Award winners, and two dance floors with different DJs to close out the night. Tickets are limited and go to registered visitors and exhibitors first come, first served, so don't leave it too late.
Meetings will always be part of what makes ISPO valuable. But between the stages, the activations, the Summit and the party, there's a whole show built for the moments in between. See you there.
Partnership around historic move to Amsterdam gives independent retailers access to international trends, innovations and brands
Retail service organisation EK Retail joins forces with ISPO, the world’s largest sports trade show. After more than fifty years in Munich, the multi-day event is moving to Amsterdam. EK Retail is marking ISPO’s arrival in the Netherlands by entering into a cooperation with the event, giving its retail partners access to international trends, innovations, brands and valuable industry connections.
Since its launch in 1970, the event has been held in Munich. It was initially organised under the name Internationale Fachmesse für Sportartikel und Sportmode, in the run-up to the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Over more than half a century, it has grown into one of the most important international meeting places for the sports industry, attracting around 25,000 visitors. They come to discover the latest trends, products and innovations across the sports, outdoor and winter sports industries.
‘Much more than a trade show’
ISPO is about to make a historic move. The upcoming edition will take place in the Netherlands for the first time, at RAI Amsterdam. For EK Retail, the new location was a key reason to pursue the cooperation. Amsterdam is much closer and more accessible for many of its retail partners, creating a wide range of new opportunities.
“ISPO is much more than a trade show,” says Pieter-Bas Stehmann, Director of EK Sport. “It is an important networking platform that connects our retailers with other retailers and business partners from across Europe, encourages collaboration, provides inspiration and creates new opportunities. We are excited to see ISPO come to Amsterdam for the first time this year.”
The event will take place from 3 to 5 November. EK Retail members, accompanied by their customers, can participate free of charge in a programme for selected buyers. The programme goes beyond simply visiting the trade fair. On 3 November, participants can join a guided cycling tour of Amsterdam’s flagship stores, followed by a networking dinner that evening. The following day, retailers are invited to an afterparty at Escape to celebrate the day’s successes.
We’re delighted to be working with EK Sport, the sporting goods arm of EK Retail, as we build the ISPO Hosted Buyer Programme for Amsterdam. Their support has been invaluable from the outset, and their enthusiasm for bringing the show to its new home has matched our own. EK Sport’s strong network of retailers makes them an ideal partner in connecting key buying decision-makers with leading brands, as well the new and emerging names to discover on the show floor a ISPO. We’re excited to see this partnership deliver real value at ISPO Amsterdam, says Sarah Arnold Hosted Buyer Programme Director – ISPO.
The International Running Expo (IRX) will take place at RAI Amsterdam at the same time as ISPO. This gives Runnersworld retailers the opportunity to visit the event as well, free of charge with their ISPO ticket.
How will marathons and major sporting events operate in 2035 and beyond?
Event organizers face growing challenges, from extreme heat and athlete safety to stricter regulations concerning waste and the pollution caused by disposable drinking cups. These developments call for new ideas that make hydration more sustainable without compromising performance or the participant experience.
At our booth, we will present forward-looking solutions for more sustainable marathon and sporting events. The highlight is the world’s first hydration vest specifically designed for marathon running, with a record-breaking weight of under 140 grams. It offers athletes an innovative alternative to conventional single-use hydration systems and could help event organizers significantly reduce waste along the course.
We invite marathon organizers, race directors, sports associations and sustainability professionals to visit us, exchange ideas and explore how major sporting events can prepare for the challenges ahead.
Visit us at booth C74 at The International Running Expo and join the conversation about the future of sustainable sports events.
Eleven leading British outdoor brands will come together at the new OTS Village at ISPO Amsterdam this November, creating a strong collective showcase for the UK outdoor industry on the international stage.
They join hundreds of global and innovative brands already confirmed to exhibit at ISPO Amsterdam, adding a powerful presence to what is shaping up to be one of the sports and outdoor industry's biggest global gatherings.
The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA), Outdoor Trade Show (OTS), ISPO and Raccoon Media Group have been working together to create the new OTS Village at ISPO, bringing the strength of the British outdoor industry into the heart of ISPO’s new Amsterdam format and giving UK businesses a powerful platform to connect with the international sports and outdoor industry.
Taking place at RAI Amsterdam on 4–5 November 2026, the first edition of ISPO to be held in Amsterdam marks a new chapter for the global sports industry event. The new format is designed to bring brands, retailers, distributors, buyers, industry leaders and key communities together from across Europe and around the world, creating a more connected and commercially valuable meeting place for the industry.
The OTS Village will bring together 11 British technical outdoor brands under a loose Best of British banner, brands confirmed include:
At the heart of the Village will be a central OIA & OTS area, providing a meeting and networking point and promoting not only the participating companies, but the strength and breadth of the British outdoor industry and wider outdoor economy.
The initiative builds on the success and community of the UK’s OTS. Through this partnership with ISPO, OTS is extending that community beyond the UK and providing its exhibitors an additional opportunity to showcase their brands and develop new business relationships across Europe and further afield.
Andrew Denton, CEO of the Outdoor Industries Association, said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to see the OTS Village becoming a reality. Britain has an extraordinary outdoor industry, with brilliant brands, products, people and expertise, and there is something really powerful about taking that story to an international audience together.
Eleven British brands standing alongside one another creates a much stronger presence than any of us could achieve individually. The OIA’s job is to engage, promote, represent and support our industry, and this is a great example of what can happen when OIA, OTS, ISPO, Raccoon Media Group and our members work together.
ISPO’s move to Amsterdam also creates a really accessible European meeting place for our industry. We’re looking forward to welcoming buyers, retailers, distributors, international partners and plenty of familiar faces to the OTS Village in November.”
Tracy Bebbington, Managing Director of ISPO, said:
“One of the things we’ve been really clear about with the new ISPO is that we want to bring the best communities in sport and outdoor together, rather than trying to recreate what already works. OTS and the OIA have built a brilliant community around the UK outdoor industry and bringing that into ISPO gives those brands a much bigger international platform while retaining the identity and relationships that make it successful.
The OTS Village is exactly the kind of collaboration we want ISPO Amsterdam to enable. Eleven brilliant British brands coming together creates a real destination on the show floor and, importantly, gives international buyers and partners a very clear reason to come and engage with the UK outdoor industry."
Marta Williams, Managing Director of MCS, OTS Organisers, said:
“We’re delighted to be working with ISPO and the OIA to create this opportunity for OTS exhibitors. OTS has always been about bringing the outdoor trade together, supporting the relationships that drive the industry and creating valuable opportunities for brands to do business.
The OTS Village allows us to take that a step further. We can bring a group of leading British outdoor brands together under the OTS banner and give them a strong, recognisable presence at one of the industry’s most important international gatherings.”
The OTS Village is also part of ISPO Amsterdam’s wider ambition to connect strong national and sector communities with an international audience, while supporting the OIA’s ambition to strengthen the international profile of the UK outdoor sector and create new opportunities for British brands to build relationships, develop distribution and grow exports.
The OIA will use its presence at ISPO to promote the UK as a great place for the global outdoor industry to do business, build partnerships and invest, while showcasing the collective strength of British outdoor brands.
Denton added: “This isn’t simply about exhibiting at a trade show. It’s about reminding the international industry that Britain remains one of the world’s great outdoor markets, with an incredibly strong outdoor culture, some outstanding brands and a hugely valuable outdoor economy.
We’re proud to be taking a little bit of the Best of British to Amsterdam.”
ISPO 2026 takes place at RAI Amsterdam, with the Leaders Summit on 3 November followed by ISPO Expo on 4–5 November.
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