The IWG Global Summit promises to be the world’s foremost gathering of leaders in sport, providing a platform for sharing best practices and the latest insights affecting women and girls in sport and physical activity.
Set against a moment of unprecedented opportunity, the Summit will serve as a catalyst for change – accelerating progress, challenging the status quo and uniting global voices around a common goal.
Our ambition is clear: to establish the Summit as the ‘Davos of Women’s Sport’ – the place where the world’s sport leaders, thinkers and changemakers come together to shape the future of gender equality in sport on a global scale.
Staged across three dynamic days, the Summit will provide an unparalleled opportunity to engage, learn and network with senior decision-makers and policymakers – and to be part of the solution in creating a sporting system where all women and girls can thrive.
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Summit
Themes
The Summit will unpack the most urgent questions of gender equity and equality in sport, through five powerful themes. With perspectives curated by a truly global team, the programme promises an unmissable exchange of ideas and insights that challenge, inspire and transform.
Investment
Exploring how strategic investment is reshaping the future of women and girls’ sport worldwide.
Investment in women and girls’ sport is growing, but progress isn’t equal everywhere – it’s not just about more money, it’s about investing better. We’ll explore how funding and ownership models can drive equity, access and sustainability. From athlete-led adventures to grassroots funding to private equity deals, discussions will unpack how strategic investment can help build a more inclusive and thriving sporting world.
LEADERSHIP
Building inclusive, collaborative and transformative leadership that drives equity and progress in sport.
Leadership in sport goes beyond titles – it shapes cultures and futures. We’ll celebrate change-makers, discuss how leadership can be nurtured across cultures and contexts and reflect on what it means to lead authentically. Inclusive discussions will challenge outdated norms and redefine what good leadership looks like.
VISIBILITY
Visibility drives recognition, inspiration and growth. We’ll look at how showcasing the achievements of women and girls in sport – from grassroots to elite – can reshape perceptions and open new opportunities. We’ll explore storytelling, media coverage and campaigns that ensure women and girls’ sport is seen, valued and celebrated.
Innovation
Transforming sport for women and girls through bold, inclusive and future-focused innovation.
Innovation isn’t just shiny, new technology – it’s rethinking who sport is for and how it’s delivered. We’ll uncover technologies, designs and ideas that challenge tradition and drive equity. From athlete-centred products to community-led solutions, discover how bold innovation is unlocking new futures for women and girls in sport.
PARTICIPATION
Participation is the foundation of equity in sport. We’ll discuss how to break down barriers so more women and girls can get active, involved and thrive. The sessions will consider policies, campaigns and place-based initiatives that create welcoming environments and open doors to lifelong sport and physical activity.
Investment
Exploring how strategic investment is reshaping the future of women and girls’ sport worldwide.
Investment in women and girls’ sport is growing, but progress isn’t equal everywhere – it’s not just about more money, it’s about investing better. We’ll explore how funding and ownership models can drive equity, access and sustainability. From athlete-led adventures to grassroots funding to private equity deals, discussions will unpack how strategic investment can help build a more inclusive and thriving sporting world.
Leadership
Building inclusive, collaborative and transformative leadership that drives equity and progress in sport.
Leadership in sport goes beyond titles – it shapes cultures and futures. We’ll celebrate change-makers, discuss how leadership can be nurtured across cultures and contexts and reflect on what it means to lead authentically. Inclusive discussions will challenge outdated norms and redefine what good leadership looks like.
Visibility
Harnessing the power of visibility to amplify opportunities and achievements in women and girls’ sport.
Visibility drives recognition, inspiration and growth. We’ll look at how showcasing the achievements of women and girls in sport – from grassroots to elite – can reshape perceptions and open new opportunities. We’ll explore storytelling, media coverage and campaigns that ensure women and girls’ sport is seen, valued and celebrated.
Innovation
Transforming sport for women and girls through bold, inclusive and future-focused innovation.
Innovation isn’t just shiny, new technology – it’s rethinking who sport is for and how it’s delivered. We’ll uncover technologies, designs and ideas that challenge tradition and drive equity. From athlete-centred products to community-led solutions, discover how bold innovation is unlocking new futures for women and girls in sport.
Participation
Breaking down barriers so women and girls can thrive in sport.
Participation is the foundation of equity in sport. We’ll discuss how to break down barriers so more women and girls can get active, involved and thrive. The sessions will consider policies, campaigns and place-based initiatives that create welcoming environments and open doors to lifelong sport and physical activity.
Main
Stage
At the centre of the Summit is the Main Stage – a platform for bold ideas, global voices and agenda-setting conversations. Here, powerful keynotes and high-impact dialogues will set the tone for the entire event. More than 20 carefully curated presentations will showcase fresh perspectives and celebrate progress across the landscape of gender equality and equity in sport and beyond.
We are pleased to share an exclusive early glimpse of the programme in 2025. What we reveal now is just the beginning: the content is evolving, the voices are being confirmed and the journey is underway.
Regular updates will follow as the programme takes further shape and speakers are announced, inviting delegates to join us on this dynamic journey as we collaborate with global contributors to bring the 2026 Global Summit to life.
Filter By
Theme
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PLAY THE GAME AND INVEST IN IT? CAN ATHLETES DO BOTH… AND SHOULD THEY?
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FINANCING WOMEN’S SPORT: POWERING SYSTEMIC CHANGE IN EMERGING ECONOMIES
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Main Stage
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Theme
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RETHINKING LEADERSHIP: A BOLD NEW PLAYBOOK
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Theme
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sHIFT
Sessions
On Day Two of the Summit, delegates will experience the Shift Sessions; an unparalleled programme of more than 25 hours of themed content across five purpose-driven stages.
Each stage will dive into the issues that matter most, challenging assumptions, sparking bold ideas and exploring practical strategies to accelerate equality and equity for women and girls in sport.
What makes Shift Sessions different is that they are carefully designed programmes of content, not just speaker slots we have filled. Each session is being shaped by global teams with clear objectives, ensuring conversations that are purposeful, outcomes-focused and built to deliver real impact.
Through a dynamic mix of presentations, panels, dialogues and labs, delegates will be able to create their own bespoke agenda, choosing the sessions most relevant to their work and priorities.
Shift Sessions: Shifting perspectives, shaping change.
Show By
Theme
SESSION 1
MIND THE GAP: IS INVESTMENT AT THE TOP STIFLING INVESTMENT LOWER DOWN?
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SESSION 6
POWER, POLICY AND PLAY: THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENTS IN SPORT
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SESSION 11
FOR PURPOSE OR PROFIT? AN INSIDE TRACK INTO BRAND INVESTMENT INTO WOMEN’S SPORTS
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SESSION 16
THE LONG GAME: BALANCING INVESTMENT WITH SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
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SESSION 21
VALUING AND FUNDING WOMEN’S SPORT WITH PURPOSE
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Regional
Forums
Shining a spotlight on local realities, the Regional Forums will explore the distinct challenges and opportunities shaping women and girls’ sport across every continent – amplifying regional voices and perspectives on a global stage.
Held simultaneously on Day Three in Birmingham, each Forum will bring together delegates from its own region – Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania. These are not presentations to watch, but interactive conversations to join. Delegates will take part in open dialogue with regional experts and peers, tackling the issues that matter most in their context.
Each delegate will attend the Forum for their own region, making space for authentic, locally grounded exchange. Together, the five Forums create a truly global dialogue – distinct in focus, but united in purpose.
Across Autumn 2025, the Regional Forum Teams will be defining their ambitions, objectives and agendas. In the months that follow, we will begin to share how each Forum is taking shape – unveiling programmes built from the ground up, rooted in regional priorities and perspectives.
Show By
Region
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IWG
Partners
Unparalleled Summit sponsorship opportunities available.
Global Summit
Supporters
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