International Federations, host cities and industry partners meet at the Olympic Museum, 5–7 October 2026.
Lausanne, 6 October 2026
The SportAccord Forum opened at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne on 5 October, bringing together the leaders of International Federations, host cities, brands and other partners. The three-day programme runs under the theme “When the Playbook Changes: Leading Sport in a New Reality”.
Previously the IF Forum, it now brings more of the sport ecosystem into the room, with the Federations still at its centre.
“The SportAccord Forum is for the International Federations and by the International Federations,” said SportAccord President Uğur Erdener.
The opening sessions looked at how Federations are adapting to political uncertainty, economic pressure, new technology and changing expectations from athletes, fans and hosts. IOC President Kirsty Coventry also addressed delegates on the IOC’s Fit for the Future strategy.
The future of the Olympic Winter Games was discussed by IBSF President Heike Größwang and ISU President Jae Youl Kim, drawing on lessons from Milano Cortina 2026 as the first fully decentralised Winter Games and looking ahead to the French Alps 2030.
A keynote from SportsPro CEO Nick Meacham set out the commercial pressures facing international sport, from flattening media rights values to the growing influence of creators and athletes online. He identified participation as the biggest opportunity. That theme ran through a panel with the World Snooker Federation, Nike, arena and the International Federation of American Football, which covered coaching, keeping girls in sport through adolescence, reaching new markets and turning events into lasting participation.
Hosting and the changing events market also featured strongly. Baku formally invited delegates to the SportAccord Convention 2027, from 9 to 13 May 2027 at the Baku Convention Center. Explore Edmonton shared the results of this year’s record-breaking CPKC Women’s Open. A panel with the International Cricket Council, the International Ski Mountaineering Federation, Commonwealth Sport, IOC Member Michael Mronz and Paris 2024’s Etienne Thobois discussed how rights holders, organisers and cities are adapting.
“The Federations are at the heart of this, but they are part of a much bigger ecosystem,” said Kelly Fairweather, Managing Director, SportAccord. “Participation, sporting goods and sports tourism are all bigger than major events, and the people working in those areas belong in the same room as the Federations. Our job is to make those connections useful, so that more of the money stays in sport and goes back into it.”
The Forum continues with sessions on technology and artificial intelligence, new sports formats and the athlete perspective, followed by a City Forum for host cities on Wednesday. It will return to Lausanne from 1 to 3 November 2027.
About SportAccord
SportAccord is the leading global meeting place for the international sport community. It brings together international sport federations, the International Olympic Committee, host cities, rights holders and industry leaders to build relationships, exchange knowledge and shape the future of sport.
