IBC

IBC, the International Broadcasting Convention, is the annual convention for the broadcast, media and entertainment technology industry, held at the RAI Amsterdam each September. It pairs an exhibition of more than 1,300 companies across 14 halls with a paid conference, a technical papers programme and a start-up area. Founded in 1967, IBC ran first in London and then Brighton before settling in Amsterdam in 1992.

They do not, and the difference decides how long a visit needs to be. The IBC2026 exhibition is open all four days, 11 to 14 September 2026: 10:30 to 18:00 on the opening day, 09:30 to 18:00 on 12 and 13 September, 09:30 to 16:00 on 14 September. The conference and the technical papers programme run only from 11 to 13 September, so a delegate arriving on 14 September finds the floor open and the conference already finished.

IBC2026 takes place at RAI Amsterdam, Europaplein 24, 1078 GZ Amsterdam. Direct trains reach it in roughly ten minutes from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and from Amsterdam Centraal; it sits beside the A10 at exit S109 and is served by metro, tram and bus. Every IBC2026 badge carries a GVB QR code valid on Amsterdam trams, buses and metro for the show days.

Two populations. Buyers: technical leadership of broadcasters, platforms and streaming services, engineering and operations staff, production and post facilities, rights holders. Suppliers: camera, audio, graphics, playout, cloud, IP, AI and connectivity vendors. IBC declares more than 44,000 visitors from over 170 countries and 1,300+ exhibitors on its homepage, while the pass types page states over 1,250 exhibiting companies in 14 halls. Both are organiser figures published as current-scale claims, with no reference year stated and no attendance audit.

IBC is owned by a partnership of six industry bodies rather than a commercial show organiser: IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, IAMT, SCTE, SMPTE and the Royal Television Society. IBC lists the third simply as IAMT without publishing an expansion; that seat was historically held by IABM, the trade body for broadcast and media technology suppliers. The legal entity is International Broadcasting Convention LLP, registered in England.

Five programme themes. AI in practice: creative workflows and real-world deployment. Audience behaviour: choice, personalisation and platform complexity. Sports transformation: data, fandom and media rights. Trust and provenance: protecting content against deepfakes and misinformation. New commercial models: brands, creators and media converging. This five-theme framing replaces the three-pillar structure used earlier in the cycle.

Eline van der Velden, founder and CEO of Particle 6, opens IBC2026 with "Disrupt, Innovate, Create: How to Embrace AI", appearing virtually alongside the AI performer Tilly Norwood. Other announced keynotes: Claire Enders CBE (CEO and founder, Enders Analysis) on media consolidation, Alex Charalambides (SVP and CTO, CNN) on news delivery, Mahesh Bhalerao (regional director for product partnerships, YouTube). Also on the programme: Anna Mallett (VP production, Netflix), Marion Rathmann (group VP content, Warner Bros. Discovery), Simon Crownshaw (media and entertainment strategy director, Microsoft), Sotiris Salamouris (CTO, Olympic Broadcasting Services). IBC declares more than 600 speakers overall, with BBC Studios, FIFA, UEFA, ITV, Meta, Google, Adobe and Oracle among the organisations represented.

Four additions at IBC2026. Future Tech Ignite, a start-up area in Hall 14 run with EIT Culture and Creativity as innovation partner. IBC Exchange, a peer-led networking layer powered by Braindate with its own lounge. An expanded Future Tech area, also in Hall 14. A GVB transport QR code in every badge. The Accelerator Media Innovation Programme returns, with Google as headline sponsor.

IBC Exchange is the formal channel at IBC2026: peer-led, Braindate-powered, with a dedicated lounge and invitations to networking events. It is not part of the Visitor Pass, so access starts one tier up. Show floor theatres, demonstration zones and Future Tech Ignite carry the informal side.

Three. The IBC Innovation Awards, judged on collaborative projects across Content Creation, Content Distribution, Content Everywhere and Social Impact, finalists named ahead of the show and winners during show week. The IBC Stand Design Awards. The IBC International Honour for Excellence, IBC's top accolade. No ceremony date is stated on the official conference page.

Four paid tiers, and every one of them increases again on 11 September 2026, the opening day. Visitor Pass EUR 195: the exhibition across 14 halls, show floor theatres, Future Tech in Hall 14, and a free Amsterdam travel pass for the show days. Exchange Pass EUR 245: adds IBC Exchange, the dedicated lounge, networking events and one conference session. Technical Papers Pass EUR 845: the three-day technical paper programme and its online hub, 11 to 13 September. Conference Pass EUR 1,795: the full three-day conference including all keynotes, the delegate lounge, technical papers and the Trends Report.

No. The complimentary visitor pass window closed on 29 August 2026 and the IBC2026 entry tier now costs EUR 195. Two free routes remain, both subject to credential verification: student registration, upgradeable to a discounted Conference Pass, and press or analyst registration.

Registration for IBC2026 is self-service on a separate portal at reg.ibc.org, not on the main show.ibc.org site, reached through per-pass links on the pass types page. Every published tier rises on 11 September, so registering before the opening day is cheaper than registering at the door.

IBC and the NAB Show are the two reference dates of the broadcast technology year, six months apart: NAB in Las Vegas in April, IBC in Amsterdam in September. For a sport reader IBC is a technology watch and vendor mapping exercise rather than a sport event. The sport-specific ground is covered by the SVG Europe Summit, scheduled on IBC's eve, and by SPORTELMonaco later in the autumn.

IBC2027 runs 10 to 13 September 2027, again at the RAI Amsterdam, already published on IBC's 2027 exhibiting page.

Consumers and hobbyist video makers: the floor is a trade exhibition for professional buyers. Sports rights buyers and sellers who want a rights market rather than a technology show. Professionals after a sport-only agenda, since sport is one theme of five. Anyone counting on walking in free, now that the complimentary visitor window has closed. Delegates who can only travel on 14 September, when the exhibition is open but the conference is over.