ISPO 2026 (3–5 November, Amsterdam RAI) is back with a clear ambition: to reconnect the global sports, outdoor and performance industry and create a platform that feels relevant, energised, and genuinely valuable.
Led by Raccoon Media Group in partnership with Messe München, and co-located with the International Running Expo, ISPO is entering a new chapter, one built on fresh thinking, sharper focus, and an experienced team who understand how the industry is evolving.
So, who’s behind it?
Tracy Bebbington - Joint Managing Director
With over 25 years in the events industry, Tracy brings deep experience in building and scaling global trade shows. Her role is about making sure ISPO is strategically strong, operationally sound, and delivers on what it promises.
Soraya Gadelrab - Joint Managing Director
Soraya leads the strategic vision and product development of ISPO. Her career has been shaped by transforming large-scale exhibitions into platforms that go beyond the show floor, creating long-term value, collaboration, and industry momentum.
Alex Bennett – Commercial Director
Alex is responsible for shaping the commercial direction of ISPO, with a focus on growing revenue and building lasting partnerships across the global sports and outdoor industry. With a strong background in fitness, sport and outdoor sectors, he takes a practical, results-focused approach to connecting brands with the right opportunities, helping ensure ISPO delivers real value for exhibitors, sponsors and partners.
Susanna Bailey - Marketing Director
Susanna leads ISPO’s global marketing strategy, focused on attracting a high-quality audience and delivering real ROI for exhibitors and partners. With 20+ years in B2B event marketing, her strength lies in building engaged, relevant communities at scale.
Kate Jamieson - Content & Business Development Director
Kate shapes the voice and substance of ISPO, from the show floor stages to the Leaders’ Summit programme. With a background in publishing, marketing and live events, her passion is creating content that resonates, sparks conversation, and stays with audiences long after the event ends.
Sarah Arnold - Hosted Buyer Programme Lead
Sarah leads the newly structured Hosted Buyer Programme. With 25 years in the meetings and events sector, she focuses on creating meaningful, high-value connections between buyers and exhibitors.
Nick Fielding - Operations Director
Nick ensures ISPO runs smoothly for everyone involved. From venue management to large-scale exhibitions, his experience includes launching events from scratch, including shows that now attract over 135,000 visitors annually.
Ipek Saltik - Partnerships Manager
Ipek manages ISPO’s global representatives' network, playing a key role in reaching international markets. Having worked across sales leadership and exhibition management, she knows how to add value at every stage of an event’s lifecycle.
Sam Homersham - Sales Manager
Sam works directly with exhibitors and partners to help them get the most out of ISPO. His focus is relationship-driven, connecting brands with opportunities, supporting growth, and making the whole process collaborative (and enjoyable).
Ellen Hodgson - Marketing Manager
Ellen drives ISPO’s campaign engine, blending bold creative thinking with data-led decisions. Her mission? Build buzz, grow audiences, and make ISPO the event the industry can’t scroll past.
Kieran Head - Operations Manager
Kieran's role includes managing the ISPO Floorplan, being the middleman between ISPO & its suppliers, whilst being on hand to support Nick with the end-to-end delivery of the event.
Ellie Mansfield - Content Producer for Tech Solutions Hub
Ellie curates speaker programmes focused on innovation, performance, and technology. With a Sport & Exercise Science background, she brings academic insight into practical, forward-looking content for the Tech Solutions Hub.
Laura Ostapowicz - Content Producer for Textiles & Fashion Hub and ISPO Podcast Studio
Laura helps shape conversations across ISPO’s stages, working closely with speakers, designers and brand leaders. Her background in styling, marketing and production brings a fresh, creative lens to the programme.
Florie Craddock – Content Producer for Brand & Retail Horizons Stage & BrandNew Awards
Florie's role as Content Producer on ISPO is to oversee the programming of the show floor content, with 6 content areas including a new Podcast Studio feature. With a passion for the intersection between winter sports and business, she curates the content for the Brand & Retail Horizons Stage, alongside being the Project Manager for the BrandNew Awards.
Martha Collings - Marketing Executive
Martha supports ISPO’s marketing campaigns and manages social media. Joining Raccoon straight from university, she helps bring ISPO’s personality to life across digital channels.
Sarah Thornton - ISPO International Sales Support Administrator
We asked the team why ISPO 2026 matters and why it deserves a place in your calendar.
1. A Reset for the Industry
This isn’t just another edition. New location, new team, new investment. ISPO is being rebuilt with intention. It’s a rare opportunity to be part of something evolving from the ground up and help shape what comes next.
2. An Innovation-First Platform
ISPO is where ideas turn physical. From innovative gear to future-facing solutions, it’s a hands-on view of where sport, winter sport, outdoor, and performance are heading and how innovation is being applied right now.
3. High-Value Connections That Matter
With the introduction of a structured Hosted Buyer Programme, ISPO is focused on quality over quantity. Expect meaningful conversations, relevant decision-makers, and opportunities designed to deliver real outcomes.
4. The Industry Moment
ISPO is where the global sports business comes together. It’s serious business but it’s also about shared passion, energy, and face-to-face connection. If you want to be part of the conversation shaping the future of the industry, this is where it happens.
To find out more, visit www.ispo.com and register to attend here.
We're officially opening the Call for Content for ISPO 2026, and we’re inviting industry leaders, innovators, creators, and changemakers to submit session proposals for our content stages. If you have a compelling story, a powerful insight, or a vision for the future of sports, retail, fashion, tech, materials, or culture - we want to you to be a part of this new era of ISPO.
We’re looking for thought‑provoking content that dives into today’s most pressing market challenges and cultural shifts. Whether you’re exploring new business models, material innovation, creative leadership, tech transformation or emerging consumer behaviour, this is your chance to put your ideas centre stage at the world’s most influential sports and outdoor trade show.
You can submit proposals across five distinct stages, each designed to speak directly to a key pillar of the industry:
1. Brand & Retail Horizons Stage
Built for brands and retailers ready to scale smarter and faster while future-proofing their business in an evolving market. Discover how sustainable practices drive business growth and learn to navigate industry shifts to your advantage. Through practical case studies set against international market conditions, sessions will tackle current industry challenges and show how tactical commercial, marketing and logistical strategies can determine whether a business fails or flies.
2. Fashion & Textiles Hub
This stage explores key areas of fashion and textile design, including current and emerging trends, innovative brand strategies, and insightful case studies. The content delves into women-centric design within sports and other areas of fast-developing innovation, examining how culture and diversity are shaping the future of the industry. The stage highlights cross-cultural and cross-industry perspectives, showing how global collaborations and diverse cultural insights shape design strategies and inspire new collections. Sessions will address sustainability challenges and the balance between profitability and long-term value, exploring how design leadership can create collections that are both responsible and successful.
3. Ingredients & Components Impact Forum
For over 60 years, materials, components, and ingredient brands have powered innovation, performance, and profitability across the global sports and outdoor industry. Bringing together leading experts to share proven strategies, real-world success stories, and practical insights. Attendees will discover how cutting-edge materials and sustainable technologies help brands and retailers connect with new audiences and unlock new market opportunities in an increasingly competitive landscape. This programme is curated and moderated by the world’s leading Ingredient Branding expert, Tomas Vucurevic, delivering a sharp strategic perspective and a focus on the business impact of material innovation.
4. Tech Solutions Hub
A dedicated zone for business owners, retailers and brand leaders looking to better understand and adopt the technology shaping modern commerce. Leading platforms such as e-commerce, marketplace, marketing and design tools will host sessions focused on real business challenges and practical solutions. From building and scaling an online business to improving branding, the Hub connects attendees with the experts behind the technology.
5. ISPO Podcast Studio
New for 2026, the ISPO Podcast Studio brings live industry conversations to the exhibition floor via a fully functional, soundproofed glass studio. Leading podcasters will host 30–45-minute live recordings with industry specialists, while visitors listen through wireless headphones for an immersive, high-engagement experience that enhances the show without disrupting the wider exhibition environment.
Where emerging sport and outdoor brands get their moment in the spotlight. A selection of start-ups will pitch their latest products and innovations, offering a first look at what's new, what's next, and what's about to disrupt the industry. Attend to get ahead of the curve, discover emerging brands as they hit the market, and engage directly with the ideas and products shaping the future of outdoor sports.
ISPO’s content programme is future‑focused, globally minded, and backed by a €1 million content investment, ensuring world-class production, high-impact themes, and top-tier speakers.
Across two days, multiple stages will run simultaneously on the show floor, bringing the industry’s brightest minds together for discussions, debates, and deep expertise.
Apply here to submit your proposal - The ISPO Content Team will review all submissions and respond to you in due course.
To learn more about the stages visit this page here.
A new era is dawning for ISPO - the world’s most influential trade event for the sporting goods, outdoor and winter sports industries. The next chapter will bring a renewed sense of purpose: to unite the global sports and outdoor industries, inspire meaningful connections and reignite the passion that makes this community extraordinary. Led by Raccoon Media Group, in partnership with Messe München, the event will combine insight, innovation and heart to set a new standard for the global trade fair.
From 2026, ISPO will enter a new chapter with a refined strategic concept, taking place on an earlier dateline, 3–5 November, at the RAI, Amsterdam. The new concept addresses the cost base to make attendance more affordable, aligns the event with global buying cycles, and ensures accessibility for a broader international audience. Situated in a globally connected hub and home to many leading brand headquarters, Amsterdam also strengthens ties with the North American market, supporting renewed engagement from US-based associations and brands - reaffirming ISPO’s position as the global gathering place for the sports and outdoor community.
To deliver this transformation, the partners have announced a €3 million investment programme designed to strengthen both the commercial and cultural foundations of the event:
Confirmed Summit attendees already Jimmy Chin (Filmmaker and Mountaineer), Hap Klopp (Founder, The North Face), Professor Laura McAllister (Vice President of UEFA), Andy Rubin (Deputy Chair, Pentland Group), John Lacy (CEO, Burton) and Pia Heidenmark Cook (Former Group Chief Sustainability Officer Ingka/IKEA).
The new joint venture combines the heart, agility and entrepreneurial spirit of Raccoon Media Group with the competence, scale, and global reach of Messe München. Together, they will deliver a reimagined ISPO that blends data-driven decision-making with community-driven purpose - ensuring the event once again serves as the beating heart of the industry it represents.
“We are incredibly proud to take ISPO into its next chapter,” said Mike Seaman, Group CEO of Raccoon Media Group. “By combining ISPO’s heritage with our community-driven approach, we are creating an event that not only reflects the future of sport and the outdoors, but actively shapes it. For too long, ISPO has been led by the head and lost some of its heart. We’re rebalancing that—making smart, strategic choices while restoring the passion, purpose and community that made it great. The industry needs a platform that unites voices, protects the places we play, and inspires the next generation of brands, leaders and businesses. That’s exactly what we intend to deliver.”
“With the strategic realignment of ISPO, we are purposefully and effectively evolving our long-established flagship trade fair. There is a strong demand for a platform that fosters innovation, exchange, and business opportunities. By joining forces with Raccoon Media Group, we are strengthening this vision — ensuring that this transformation continues to be guided by the needs of our customers and the entire sports and outdoor industry”, says Harald Kirchschlager, Executive Director Corporate Strategy & Development.
The 2025 event will mark a dignified and memorable ISPO show in Munich under Messe München’s stewardship. This year’s edition will define the first strategic cornerstones for the future – a milestone event that provides the ideal launchpad for the next chapter. Following this remarkable event, the leadership team of the newly established joint venture company will take the helm post-2025. For the first time, onsite rebooking for ISPO 2026 will be available, providing exhibitors with a seamless transition into the new era.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
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About Raccoon Media Group
Raccoon Media Group is a dynamic, high-growth media business dedicated to serving passion-led communities across both B2C and B2B markets worldwide. Through its impactful events and media properties, Raccoon delivers year-round content, education and growth and networking opportunities to specialist, self-identifying audiences. Founded in 2018 the company has rapidly expanded its portfolio across health, wellbeing and specialist passion-led markets. Entrepreneurial and disruptive, Raccoon challenges the status quo, invests in exceptional people and creates sustainable events that foster industry growth and meaningful connections. Connect with us at www.raccoonmediagroup.com or for all media enquiries, contact Ashley Cox
Messe München
As one of the world’s leading trade fair organisers, Messe München showcases the world of tomorrow at around 90 trade fairs worldwide. These include twelve leading global trade fairs such as bauma, BAU, IFAT, and electronica. The portfolio covers trade fairs for investment and consumer goods as well as for new technologies. Together with its 1,300 employees in the group and its subsidiaries, it organizes trade fairs in China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the USA. With an international network of subsidiaries and foreign representatives, Messe München is active worldwide. More than 150 events each year attract around 50,000 exhibitors and approximately three million visitors domestically and abroad. This makes Messe München a key economic driver, generating purchasing power effects worth billions.
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