More than 75 sporting leaders from Australia and overseas will gather in Melbourne for the 2026 SportNXT Summit, taking place from 7 to 9 September, just days before the city hosts Australia’s first NFL regular-season game.
The annual sports business summit will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with speakers from organisations including the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, AFL, Cricket Australia, Chelsea Football Club, Disney and ESPN.
NFL Executive Vice President Peter O’Reilly will headline the programme, alongside senior representatives from the Rams and 49ers ahead of their meeting at the MCG on 11 September.
Other speakers announced for the summit include Australian snowboarder and Olympian Scotty James, Chelsea Football Club President Jason Gannon, AFL Commission Chair Craig Drummond, Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg and Disney and ESPN executive Kylie Watson-Wheeler.
SportNXT was launched in Melbourne in 2022 with support from the Victorian Government and has since developed into a major sports business conference in the region. The event brings together executives, athletes and other industry figures to discuss areas including sports business, technology, investment and the changing relationship between sport and audiences.
The 2026 summit will take place as Melbourne prepares for a major moment in the NFL’s expansion into Australia. The Rams and 49ers are scheduled to meet at the MCG on Friday, 11 September, marking the first regular-season NFL game to be played in Australia.
The NFL fixture is expected to draw international attention to Melbourne, adding to a calendar that already includes events such as the Australian Open, Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and AFL Grand Final.
The Victorian Government says major events contribute around $3.3 billion to the state’s economy each year and support thousands of jobs.
Minister for Major Events Anthony Carbines said SportNXT would bring international sporting figures to Melbourne while contributing to the state’s broader events programme.
“Victoria’s major events deliver billions for our economy and support thousands of jobs. SportNXT is another example of Melbourne bringing the world’s biggest events and sporting leaders here,” Carbines said.
Minister for Sport Steve Dimopoulos said the summit would provide an opportunity to showcase Melbourne’s sporting credentials shortly before the NFL game.
“SportNXT brings the biggest names in global sport to Melbourne, showcasing our sporting credentials just days before Australia’s first NFL game,” Dimopoulos said.
SportNXT co-founder Eddie McGuire said the timing of this year’s summit offered an opportunity for people working across the sports industry to connect while Melbourne prepares for the NFL fixture.
“There has never been a better time to be in Melbourne if you’re in the business of sport,” McGuire said.
He said the summit would bring together leaders from major sporting organisations to discuss the direction of the industry and build connections.
SportNXT is being held as part of Melbourne Global Exchange, a programme featuring several international business events in the city during September. Data Center World and The AI Summit Australia are scheduled for 7 to 9 September, while the Intersekt Fintech Festival will take place from 3 to 4 September.
The SportNXT Summit runs from 7 to 9 September at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the Rams and 49ers due to meet at the MCG on 11 September.
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