Qingdao, the Chinese city synonymous with Olympic sailing, has become the focus of the sport's governance this week as the 2026 World Sailing Annual Conference gets underway.
The event draws together Member National Authorities, Class Associations, sailors, event organisers and marine industry representatives, all with business to get through before the week is out.
It's a packed schedule, with meetings running through to the World Sailing Council meeting and General Assembly, where decisions are due on some of the sport's biggest questions. Olympic sailing pathways are on the table, along with progress on the Para Inclusive Strategy and the Sustainability Agenda 2030.
David Graham, CEO of World Sailing, called it the most important week on the calendar.
"The Annual Conference is the most important week in our calendar, where the global sailing family comes together to collectively steer the future of our sport," Graham said. "This is a special occasion to champion our successes, speak openly about challenges, and create new opportunities for growth. We are thrilled to be in Qingdao, a city with an extraordinary Olympic sailing heritage, to make the critical decisions that will impact sailing at every level."
The conference has strong local backing. The Chinese Yachting Association and the Shandong Administration of Sports are supporting the event, alongside local organisers including the Qingdao Sports Bureau and the Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Association.
Commercial support is in the mix too, with Dalian Cultum formal clothing, Beijing Dkwen Luggage and Jingdezhen Fuyu Porcelain all involved as organisers.
Beyond the governance sessions, the week carries some genuine ceremony. The World Sailing Awards will be held on 18 November 2026, recognising the sport's standout performers and contributors over the past year.
The 2026 Development Symposium runs alongside the main conference programme. Everything wraps up with the General Assembly on Saturday 21 November, when the formal decisions of the week are confirmed.
For those not in Qingdao, open sessions will be streamed live on World Sailing's YouTube channel, letting the global sailing community follow the discussions in real time.
