Swiss Sports Forum 2026: Cancellara, Hyrox, and AI in Lucerne

Sport Forum Switzerland: The Industry's Think Tank Meets in Lucerne

For more than 31 years, Sport Forum Schweiz has been regarded as the leading think tank of the Swiss sports industry. On November 2 and 3, 2026, the conference will bring together more than 800 participants from the worlds of sports, branding, media, tourism, and marketing at the KKL Lucerne and the Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne. The theme of this year’s event is «Rethinking Sports: Between Community, Experience, and Business.» A total of 25 hours of programming is planned across five stages over the two days of the conference.

«Today, sports are experienced, consumed, and marketed differently. We want to show what that means for the business in concrete terms,» says Hans-Willy Brockes, managing director of the ESB Marketing Network and organizer of the conference.

New Sports Worlds Are Becoming a Business

On the main stage in the Luzerner Saal, Fabian Cancellara and Raphael Meyer will discuss the next steps for Tudor Pro Cycling. Stefano Battiston will provide insight into the international brand strategy of the Audi Revolut F1 Team—as Audi enters Formula 1 with its own team. John Lewicki from the NHL will explain the role Europe plays in the North American hockey league’s expansion plans. New formats such as Hyrox—which has grown into an international fitness community—are also on the program, along with Gaisbock, Moxxis, Mastercard, and Mercedes-Benz.

The New Sports Media Regulations

The sports media landscape is also undergoing a reshuffle. Streaming, content creators, and proprietary digital channels are gaining prominence, while live TV remains important for reach and sponsorship value. Representatives from DAZN, SRG, CH Media, and Blue discuss how the sports media landscape is changing and what role each platform should play in the future. A concrete example is the Champions Hockey League, which aims to tell stories in a way that resonates more closely with the community through an influencer hub and to reach people beyond the traditional ice hockey audience.

What Major Events Really Offer

Another focus is on upcoming sporting events in Switzerland. The 2027 World Ski Championships in Crans-Montana will center on marketing, the fan experience, and the long-term impact of hosting a World Championships on home soil. Participants include Diego Züger from Swiss-Ski, Didier Défago from the organizing committee, and FIS Secretary General Urs Lehmann.

Of particular relevance to event organizers, destinations, and sponsors: Results on the economic impact of the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship are set to be presented for the first time in Lucerne. They will show the economic effects the tournament has had on cities, tourism, the restaurant industry, and retail. The focus extends further to the 2028 European Handball Championship and the 2029 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

New this year is Ticketcorner as a presenter at the Sport Forum Schweiz. The ticketing provider brings its expertise in ticketing, CRM, marketing, and data-driven services to the event and is represented, among other things, at the «Sport as an Economic Driver» forum.

AI and data are woven throughout the entire program

Data and AI are central themes in many program items. They are expected to transform ticketing, content, sponsorship, event planning, and the fan journey. According to the press release, the new WEMF «Sports & Culture» module will also provide new data sources to support sponsorship decisions.

On the second day of the conference, pitch sessions will take place for the second time. These short presentations will focus on concrete solutions for sports organizations, sponsors, and event organizers—ranging from AI-powered event planning and personalized fan engagement to digital platforms for community, management, and marketing.

For more information and the full program, please visit: https://www.sportforumschweiz.ch