93rd UFI Global Congress

The UFI Global Congress is the yearly flagship meeting of UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry. The 93rd edition takes place in the Kingdom of Bahrain, hosted by Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB) and the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), and brings together leaders of exhibition organisers, venues and service providers for four days of keynotes, breakout sessions, association meetings and networking.

What's covered

Under the theme "Stronger Connections, Smarter Futures", the 2026 congress looks at how the exhibitions business keeps momentum amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty and what comes next for it.

• Resilience and confident decision-making in an unpredictable environment
• Business and revenue models beyond selling floor space
• Immersive, experience-led event formats
• Technology, AI and data across the event lifecycle
• Sustainability as a core business priority
• Year-round engagement with exhibitors and visitors

Who attends

Registration is reserved for UFI members, with members of AIPC, ICCA and SISO also welcome. Delegates are typically senior and mid-level people from exhibition organisers, venues, suppliers, consultancies and service providers worldwide.

Programme highlights

The four-day package covers every congress session from Monday 2 to Thursday 5 November, networking lunches and refreshments, a Welcome Reception on 2 November, the Congress Dinner on 3 November and post-congress tours on 5 November. UFI's General Assembly and its committee and chapter meetings also take place during the congress.

The venue

Exhibition World Bahrain opened in November 2022 in Sakhir. The site covers 309,000 square metres, with ten exhibition halls totalling 95,000 square metres and a convention centre whose Grand Hall seats up to 4,000 people.

Tickets & passes

• UFI Member — EUR 1,640: Excluding VAT; all sessions 2–5 November, lunches, Welcome Reception, Congress Dinner and post-congress tours
• Accompanying Person — EUR 500: Excluding VAT; spouses, family or partners; social events and tours only, no sessions