Hosting 3,000+ Industry Leaders at One of London's Most Iconic Venues

When Leaders Week London sought a venue capable of reimagining one of the sports industry's most influential gatherings, Stamford Bridge provided the perfect stage.

On 7–8 October 2026, more than 3,000 senior executives from across the global sports ecosystem arrived at Stamford Bridge for the return of Leaders Week London, marking the beginning of a new multi-year partnership between Chelsea Football Club and Leaders in Sport.

Bringing together decision-makers from elite sports organisations, governing bodies, broadcasters, technology companies, brands, agencies and investment firms, the event showcased Stamford Bridge's ability to deliver large-scale conferences, premium hospitality experiences and multi-space activations within a single destination venue.

Venue Built for Scale

One of the key requirements for Leaders Week London was a venue capable of delivering a seamless, campus-style experience for thousands of attendees while accommodating a diverse programme of keynote sessions, networking opportunities, private meetings and VIP experiences.

Stamford Bridge's extensive event infrastructure enabled organisers to transform multiple spaces across the stadium into a connected conference environment.

The Great Hall in the West Stand operated as the event's main hub, while hospitality suites, restaurants and breakout spaces hosted presentations, workshops, roundtable discussions and networking sessions throughout the two-day programme.

A Bespoke Experience Across Dedicated Spaces

Stamford Bridge’s versatility allowed Leaders Week London to create a connected, multi-space event experience, with dedicated environments for keynote content, technical innovation, industry discussion, networking and focused learning. Each space played a distinct role in bringing the programme to life.

Leaders Village: Great Hall

The Great Hall was transformed into a vibrant, exhibitions style Leaders Village, bringing together 65 exhibitors from across the sports industry and its wider ecosystem. Representing a diverse range of sectors, exhibitors showcased their services, innovations and solutions through an engaging mix of exhibition stands, interactive activations and brand experiences.

Creative Stage: Under the Bridge

Under the Bridge provided a distinctive setting for the Creative Stage, bringing a dynamic atmosphere to sessions exploring creativity, storytelling and innovation across the sports industry. Its established live-event character offered an engaging environment for speakers to share fresh perspectives, challenge conventional thinking and inspire new approaches to sports business.

Tech & Innovation Stage: Drake Suite

The Drake Suite hosted the T&I Stage, providing a professional, adaptable environment for discussions around technology and innovation. Its flexible layout and presentation facilities supported focused sessions exploring emerging technologies, digital transformation and the opportunities shaping the future of sport.

Forums & Leaders Club: Hollins Suite

The Hollins Suite became the home of Forums & Leaders Club, creating a dedicated environment for industry discussion, peer-to-peer exchange and relationship building. Away from the main stages, the space provided an opportunity for attendees to engage more closely with fellow executives, exchange perspectives and develop connections across the global sports business community.

Masterclasses: Millennium Suites

The Millennium Suites hosted the event’s masterclasses, offering a more intimate setting for focused learning and specialist discussion. The smaller suite format was well suited to sessions encouraging closer engagement between speakers and participants, creating opportunities to explore specific challenges, exchange practical insights and take ideas back into their organisations.

By combining dedicated content areas with spaces for networking, collaboration and more intimate learning experiences, Stamford Bridge supported the different ways in which senior industry leaders connect, share knowledge and do business.

The result was a dynamic event environment that allowed thousands of attendees to move between content sessions, business meetings and networking opportunities, all within one iconic venue.

Bringing Together the People Shaping the Future of Sport

Leaders Week London brought together some of the most influential figures in international sport, media, entertainment and business, creating a platform for senior decision-makers to exchange ideas, explore emerging opportunities and discuss the future of the industry.

The 2026 speaker line-up featured Gary Lineker, broadcaster, former England footballer and co-founder of Goalhanger, alongside prominent leaders from global sport and business, including:

• Jessica Berman — Commissioner, National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)

• Alexis Ohanian — Co-founder of Reddit and co-owner of Chelsea FC Women

• Richard Garlick — Chief Executive Officer, Arsenal FC

• Louise Young — Chief Race Promotion Officer, Formula 1

• Kevin Demoff — President of Team & Media Operations, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment

• Julia Goldin — Chief Product & Marketing Officer, LEGO Group

• Scott O'Neil — Chief Executive Officer, LIV Golf

• Don Garber — Commissioner, Major League Soccer

• Todd Kline — President, Commercial, Chelsea FC

The programme explored the forces reshaping the sports business landscape, from storytelling, podcasting and changing audience behaviour to commercial partnerships, fan engagement, media rights, innovation and leadership.

This breadth of expertise reinforced the event's position as a meeting point for the people and organisations influencing the future of global sport.

Inside Leaders Week London

• 3,000+ in-person attendees, bringing together senior executives and decision-makers from across the global sports industry.

• International speaker line-up, featuring Gary Lineker alongside leaders from Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Formula 1, the NWSL, Major League Soccer, LIV Golf and other major organisations.

• Global business audience, connecting teams, leagues, governing bodies, broadcasters, brands, agencies, technology companies and investors.

• Two days of insight and networking combining keynote sessions, specialist discussions, workshops and opportunities to build commercial relationships.

• Multiple event spaces under one roof creating a campus-style experience across conference, hospitality, meeting and networking environments.

• New multi-year venue partnership establishing Stamford Bridge as the home of Leaders Week London for future editions.

A Lasting Impact on the Global Sports Industry

The successful return of Leaders Week London demonstrated the combination of scale, flexibility and accessibility available at Stamford Bridge.

More than simply hosting a conference, the stadium became a destination where thousands of global industry leaders could connect, collaborate and exchange ideas about the future of sport.

The calibre of speakers and delegates, combined with the event's multi-space format, demonstrated the potential of Stamford Bridge to accommodate complex, high-profile business events while delivering distinctive hospitality and networking experiences.

The multi-year partnership provides a foundation for Leaders Week London to return to Stamford Bridge in future years, further establishing the venue as a destination for major international conferences, corporate gatherings and sports business events.

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