Qingdao will host the 2026 World Sailing Annual Conference and Awards, bringing together more than 400 international delegates for one of the sport's most significant gatherings.
The city has solid sailing credentials. Qingdao hosted the sailing competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games and has welcomed sailors from around the world to major events for decades.
World Sailing CEO David Graham said the choice of venue was fitting. "We are delighted to hold the next Annual Conference in China's sailing capital, a city rich in sailing heritage." He described the conference as "a special occasion, one where the global sailing community is able to come together, discuss proposals, celebrate our successes and share suggestions to improve the experience for sailors at all levels while speaking openly about challenges facing the sport worldwide and create new opportunities for the growth."
Graham singled out the Awards ceremony as "undoubtedly the highlight of the year and a wonderful opportunity to share and celebrate the achievements of so many athletes from across the sport, as well as shine the spotlight on those working tirelessly to innovate and support the development of sailing worldwide."
The event is organised and supported by the Qingdao Municipal Sports Bureau. Open sessions will be streamed live on the World Sailing YouTube channel, with daily updates and supporting papers on the World Sailing website.
