AROUND THE WORLD WITH HFA
London Calling: 2026 HFA European Congress Set for the United Kingdom
The 23rd annual HFA European Congress takes place in September with an expanded global agenda.
Countries Represented
Health Clubs and Studios Represented
Registration is now open for the 2026 HFA European Congress, and the conversations shaping the future of the global fitness industry are already converging around it.
Scheduled to take place September 24–26 at the London Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, the event is produced in partnership with ukactive. This year’s local host is David Minton, founder of Leisure DB.
The Congress will bring together top leaders, decision-makers, and innovators from across the international fitness industry to connect, exchange ideas, and move the industry forward. HFA expects to host attendees from more than 35 countries representing more than 10,000 health clubs and studios. More than 75% of attendees are C-suite or executive-level operators.
A Region on the Rise
The 2026 Congress arrives at a pivotal moment. The European fitness market continues to grow and evolve. The recently released European Health & Fitness Market Report 2026, from Deloitte and EuropeActive, reveals that total market revenues for the European health and fitness industry reached €39.1 billion ($45.7 billion US) in 2025. Memberships in European fitness facilities grew 5.8% year over year to 75.5 million, with club growth topping out at more than 67,500 facilities, an increase of 2.8% from the year before.
The final schedule, with keynotes, speakers, and panel discussions, will be finalized soon. Topics will include the accelerating integration of technology, the talent challenges facing operators across the region, and the growing alignment between fitness and healthcare, particularly in preventive health. Consumer expectations, meanwhile, continue to shift toward personalization, flexibility, and a greater emphasis on community.
Heather Garrick of Studio Grow speaks at last year's European Congress.
A moment from the Global Summit from the 2025 HFA European Congress. The Summit will return in London.
Networking with colleagues in the region can create relationships that last lifetimes.
The Return of the Global Summit and Financial Panel
Last year's inaugural HFA European Congress Financial Panel was so popular that it will return as a cornerstone of this year's programming, spotlighting developments around investment and capital that are shaping the fitness industry across the European region.
The Congress will also include a Global Advocacy Summit, where HFA will offer an exclusive preview of the hotly anticipated 2026 HFA Global Report, including benchmarks and market intelligence that will define the global fitness industry going forward.
HFA will also unveil research on GLP-1 medications and their intersection with fitness and physical activity. This discussion will be presented with contributions from the World Obesity Federation, ukactive, AUSactive, and the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry, signaling the increasingly collaborative approach that HFA and its global partners are bringing to research, advocacy, and messaging.
Past attendees have raved about former HFA European Congress events, including Martin Seibold, CEO of LifeFit Group, who said: “The HFA European Congress always stands out by rotating cities annually, allowing attendees to network with top industry leaders and visit local fitness clubs. There is no doubt in my mind that it provides valuable content from influential European speakers and insights into US industry trends.”
Real-time translation in more than 60 languages will be available throughout the event via Wordly, an AI-powered platform that integrates with attendees' own devices.
As is tradition for the HFA European Congress, on September 26 attendees will fan out across London on club tours to get a firsthand look at some of London's most innovative facilities.
Health & Fitness Business is a publication of
Health & Fitness Business (HFB) is the leading health and fitness industry publication. Published monthly by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and distributed free to the industry, HFB offers analysis of the opportunities, challenges, issues, and news that impact the industry.
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