The Ispo will be presented in Amsterdam next year and will therefore take place for the last time in Munich at the end of November.
The trade fair for the sporting goods, outdoor and winter sports industries will begin a new chapter in 2026, the Raccoon Media Group announced on Tuesday. To achieve this, the company, which is responsible for trade fairs such as The International Running Expo in Amsterdam and The National Outdoor Expo in Birmingham, has teamed up with the ISPO organizer Messe München.
“With the strategic realignment of Ispo, we are continuing to run our traditional leading trade fair consistently and in a future-oriented manner,” says Harald Kirchschlager, Executive Director Corporate Strategy & Development at Messe München. “The need for a platform that combines innovation, exchange and business opportunity is clear. Working with Raccoon Media Group, we strengthen this vision and ensure that change continues to be led by the needs of our customers and the entire sports and outdoor industry.”
As a joint venture, the companies want to organize the trade fair with an optimized strategic concept in the RAI congress center in Amsterdam, where the Modefabriek fashion trade fair also took place until last year. The new concept is intended to optimize costs to make participation more affordable, adapt the event to global purchasing cycles and achieve greater international reach, according to the release.
“By combining the Ispo tradition with our community-focused approach, we are creating an event that not only reflects but actively shapes the future of the sports and outdoor industry,” said Mike Seaman, Group CEO of Raccoon Media Group. “Ispo has been controlled purely rationally for too long and has lost part of its heart. Through smart, strategic decisions, we are restoring the passion, meaning and community that made this event great.”
Investment program of 3 million euros
To realize the plans, the partners have announced an investment program worth three million euros. This is intended to strengthen the commercial and cultural foundations of the event. One million euros each will be used to support non-profit organizations that protect sports venues, promote participation and strengthen the basis of sport; for a global hosted buyer program to bring together leading retailers and companies and for a content program. Part of the content program is the new leadership forum Leaders’ Summit.
“The industry needs a platform that unites voices, protects our spaces, and inspires the next generation of brands, leaders and companies. That’s exactly what we want to achieve,” said Seaman.
The date is set for November 3rd to 5th, 2026. This means that the trade fair will take place a little earlier than the Ispo 2025 in Munich, which will be held from November 30th to December 2nd.