Why Fitness Executives Can’t Afford to Miss the 2026 HFA European Congress in London

The fitness industry’s premier European leadership gathering returns to London for the first time since 2017. The 2026 HFA European Congress is heading to one of the world’s most iconic sporting venues — London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park — as fitness industry leaders confront a rapidly evolving business landscape.

With GLP-1 medications reshaping consumer health behavior, technology adoption accelerating, and competition intensifying across Europe, operators are being challenged to rethink how they attract, engage, and retain members.

This year’s theme, One Vision. One Voice., captures exactly what this event is about: bringing the global fitness community together around a shared purpose, and leaving with the clarity, connections, and conviction to act on it.

Now in its 23rd year, the HFA European Congress is the Health & Fitness Association’s annual gathering for senior leaders across the global fitness industry.

The event rotates cities each year, bringing together operators, suppliers, investors, and innovators for two days of strategy, learning, and connection plus one day of club tours.

The 2026 event takes place September 24–26 at London Stadium, with programming on September 24–25 followed by exclusive club and studio tours on September 26.

• You’ll be in a room with the industry’s decision-makers: Nearly 75% of attendees at the HFA European Congress are executive-level — CEOs, founders, operators, and investors. This isn’t a general-admission trade show. It’s a concentrated gathering of the people shaping the future of the industry, from across Europe and around the world. If relationship-building matters to your business, there is no better room to be in.

• The agenda will tackle the issues keeping you up at night: The 2026 program will address the strategic questions every fitness operator is wrestling with right now. These sessions are actionable strategy sessions designed for leaders who want the latest data to discern their next business moves. Key focus areas include:

• GLP-1 medications and the fitness opportunity: How operators are adapting to shifts in consumer behavior around weight management and preventive health

• Digital transformation: Technology, data, and the future of the member experience

• Insights from the 2026 HFA Global Report: The industry’s most comprehensive look at benchmarks, trends, and the top revenue-generating companies in the world

• London’s fitness scene is a masterclass in innovation: The Congress returns to London for the first time since 2017, and the city’s fitness landscape looks dramatically different. The exclusive club and studio tours on September 26 give delegates a behind-the-scenes look at some of London’s most forward-thinking fitness concepts, from boutique studios to biohacking and recovery facilities. The tour can be added to registration for an additional cost, with featured clubs announced by the end of July.

• The venue itself is a statement: London Stadium, purpose-built for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and now home to West Ham United and UK Athletics, is a venue that commands attention. It signals the scale and ambition of what the HFA European Congress has become, setting the tone for the conversations that happen inside.

• The Congress is presented in partnership with ukactive and EVOLVE: The 2026 event is in partnership with ukactive and local host David Minton of EVOLVE, both of whom are helping to develop the program and select speakers. That partnership ensures the content remains deeply rooted in the realities of the European market.

The HFA European Congress is built for senior fitness industry leaders. Attendance is limited to club owners, operators, and their employees, keeping the room focused, relevant, and genuinely peer-to-peer.

UK-based operators are considered local participants and receive special registration rates.

• Fitness industry suppliers and technology companies who may attend as sponsors
• Investors and private equity professionals active in the wellness sector
• Leaders from outside of Europe looking to expand into the European market