“Connect & Cultivate”: a 24-hour networking ecosystem at SportAccord 2026

For years, SportAccord’s “Connect & Cultivate” activities have been a defining part of the SportAccord experience, creating spaces where meaningful connections are formed across the global sport ecosystem, both inside and beyond the conference programme. 

From early morning to late evening, SportAccord offers multiple environments designed to foster dialogue, collaboration, and relationship-building among International Federation delegates, Senior Executives, Partners, and brands. Recognising that leadership comes in many forms and that meaningful conversations happen at different moments of the day, SportAccord intentionally creates opportunities to connect across diverse settings, energy levels, and personal rhythms. 

Held daily from 07:30 to 08:30, the morning “Connect & Cultivate” sessions bring together participants in energising, informal environments before the day’s strategic programme begins. By moving together, through morning yoga, a morning run, Good Morning Muay Thai, or 3×3 basketball, delegates break down silos, spark conversation, and build trust through shared experience. These sessions highlight leadership in action: dynamic, human, and grounded in sport as a unifying force. 

As the day transitions into evening, networking continues beyond the venue through the SportAccord After Hours Bar. Designed as a relaxed and social setting, it provides a different but equally valuable space for connection, where conversations deepen, new relationships emerge, and ideas are exchanged in a more informal atmosphere. While the early-morning sessions and late-evening gatherings may attract different profiles, together they ensure that SportAccord remains inclusive, accessible, and engaging for all, almost 24 hours a day. 

“Connect & Cultivate” reflects SportAccord’s belief that sport is more than a topic of discussion, it is a lived experience and a powerful catalyst for alignment, innovation, and trust. For partners and brands, this ecosystem offers authentic engagement with global decision-makers through moments that feel real, relevant, and values-driven, reinforcing sport’s unique ability to connect people across cultures, disciplines, and ways of working.