The Sportel sports business conference will return to Singapore for the first time since 2018, with the iconic Orchard Hotel to stage the event from March 24 to 25.
The city has been described as an ideal location to engage Southeast Asia while remaining easily accessible for key stakeholders from Oceania and the broader Asia-Pacific region, with organizers keen to create an environment that will foster tangible business opportunities and shape the next chapter for sports media across the region.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
In contrast to Sportel’s flagship Monaco event, which is held annually in October, the conference’s spring editions are intentionally more intimate and relaxed environments to encourage deeper conversations, enable easier access to decision makers, and therefore produce more face-to-face exchanges.
Next month's event is set to bring together top international rights holders, broadcasters, digital platforms, agencies, and sports tech companies, for two days of networking and deal-making, including major broadcasters BeIN Sports, Fox Sports Australia, Startimes, Warner Bros. Discovery, Astro, ESPN Australia and New Zealand, and WOW, as well as high profile rights holders including the Premier League, FIFA, Bundesliga, World Rugby, K League, and Tennis Australia.
Ahead of the conference, the organizers have said they are encouraged by the strong international balance of attendees, with approximately 50% of participants coming from Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, with the remaining 50% representing Europe and the Americas, which will ensure a bridge between attendees from regional and global markets.
In terms of profile, meanwhile, around 30% of participants will be content buyers, while 40% will be rights holders.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataAgnès Marsan, executive director of Sportel Asia, has stated: “Sportel Singapore promises to be a key moment for our global community. With Asia projected to significantly increase its sports media rights value by the end of the decade, the region is more strategic than ever.
“We are delighted to see such a strong interest from across the industry, with participants coming from all over the world and with a strong participation from across Asia-Pacific, including India, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, and China.”
Central to the conference will be a series of exciting masterclasses, visionary keynotes, and innovative presentations around the latest trends revolutionizing the sports and media broadcast industry.
Topics will cover the current landscape of sports media rights in Asia, while addressing its challenges and opportunities in the future, with the region becoming one of the fastest-evolving sports media markets in the world amid reduced broadcaster budgets and shifting fan consumption habits.
Discussions will focus on the evolution of rights acquisition and distribution strategies, the growing influence of streaming and over-the-top platforms, regional monetization models, and the increasing importance of localized and culturally relevant content.
Meanwhile, experts, including BeIN Sports APAC’s Mike Kerr, FIFA’s Jean-Christophe Petit, and Culer Max Entertainment’s Shishir Gupta, will share their knowledge on how rights owners and broadcasters can remain agile, unlock greater value, and build sustainable partnerships in a dynamic media ecosystem.
The full Sportel Singapore 2026 program can be found here, while the speakers' list is available here.
