Sportel 2026 welcomes 1,962 participants as Toronto expansion announced

Sportel Monaco 2026 brought the international sports media business together at the Grimaldi Forum from 19 to 21 October, welcoming rights holders, broadcasters, investors, federations, agencies and technology leaders from across the globe.

The event saw 1,962 participants, 73 countries and 780 companies represented, including 166 new companies. The 8,500-square-metre exhibition space at the Grimaldi Forum provided a platform for companies to present their latest solutions, meet potential partners and explore new commercial opportunities across sports broadcasting, content distribution and technology.

The Conference Summit at the Ravel Speakers Stage brought together industry voices to explore the trends, technologies and business opportunities shaping the future of sports media. Sessions featured YouTube, Grup Mediapro, Deltatre, WURL, Esports Foundation, ViewLift, Pixotope, Dolby OptiView, Epic Clips, XR Sports Alliance and Grey Matter Entertainment.

Industry figures including Jeff Roth (Bruin Capital), Javier Tebas (LALIGA), Hillary Mandel (IMG), Pedro Pina (YouTube), Danny Townsend (SURJ Sports Investment) and Prashant Khana (JioStar) joined as speakers.

This year’s Sportel Monaco hosted the launch of the CMO Brand Programme, in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies, which welcomed senior marketing executives from TCS, Revolut and Guinness/Diageo to explore how brands and sports properties can unlock greater value through sponsorship, media and technology.

The Women’s Lunch, organised in collaboration with AWS, focused on the growth potential of women’s sport, moderated by Fiona Harold, sports business development specialist at AWS, with Elizaveta Bracht (athlete), Danny Townsend (SURJ Sports Investment), Nicky Stanton (World Tennis) and Frank Leenders (FIBA) discussing what it will take to transform its growing momentum into a mature, investable market.

“Year after year, Sportel evolves alongside the sports media industry, creating new opportunities for the people and businesses shaping its future. This 36th edition highlighted the value of bringing together content buyers, rights holders, broadcasters, technology innovators and brands in an environment where business and innovation go hand in hand. We are proud to see our international community continue to grow and to provide a platform where ideas turn into opportunities and connections lead to new partnerships. Building on this momentum, we are excited to bring the Sportel experience to Canada, with Sportel taking place in Toronto on 23–24 March 2027. This next chapter reflects our ambition to strengthen our presence across key international markets and continue connecting the global sports business community,” said Marine Picoulet, executive director of Sportel Monaco.