The era of intelligence. This is the term under which the unstoppable technological revolution that is brewing is usually described. An unstoppable revolution that is already impacting all areas of daily life, with artificial intelligence transforming the way we work, communicate, and relate. Thus opening the door to possibilities and abilities that only a few years ago seemed unimaginable and unattainable, and encouraging us to dream of an even more revolutionary future. This same spirit of continuous reinvention and exploring the unimaginable is what has marked the Mobile World Congress, since it landed in the Catalan capital in 2006.
A motto that, however, will have even more presence in its 20th anniversary, from March 2 to 5, 2026, with the most ambitious edition of the technology fair. During this edition, this ability to explore the unimaginable will translate into different ways of making the most of every available corner in the Gran Via venue of Fira de Barcelona. A venue in l'Hospitalet de Llobregat has become too small for the fair, so its organizers (the GSMA) eagerly await the Fira Gran Via expansion project, which will add 60,000 square meters to the complex, reaching 300,000 square meters. However, there are still two years and two editions of Mobile in between, as the Hall 0 project is not expected to be completed until mid-2027, with 2028 being the first edition that the MWC could celebrate with these new square meters.
Until then, the organizers think the unimaginable, inventing new ways to continue growing, while the technological industry does, but in a limited space. "Now we are tight, we have space limitations that do not allow us to grow and bring together more exhibitors," acknowledged John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA, in a meeting with journalists. However, the technology congress can grow in other spaces offered by the Catalan capital and its surroundings. For this reason, in addition to a Talent Arena that will return to Fira Montjuïc with the aim of awakening technological vocations ---in this edition with experts in innovation such as Tim Berners-Lee, Kate Darling or DJ Steve Aoki--- the fair will also expand to Montmeló.
Thus, the technology fair will take advantage of the possibilities offered by Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a venue that Fira de Barcelona has managed since the beginning of the year, to offer a new experience: CircuitX, which will showcase the latest advances in intelligent mobility and immersive experiences for fans. Although the details of this new format are not finalized, as Fira has emphasized that it is the "beginning of a multi-year journey," for now this new format will translate into a meeting of industry executives on Sunday, March 1, just before the start of the fair, accompanied by live demonstrations and solutions of technologies applied to mobility and the experience of large events.
This ambitious edition will also feature other major technological innovations. Thus, artificial intelligence, a major protagonist of the previous year's fair, will once again occupy a central space in the halls of Fira de Barcelona, with a program structured under six thematic axes: Intelligent Infrastructure, ConnectAI, AI 4 Enterprise, AI Nexus, Tech4All and Game Changers.
Looking to outer space
But, for the first time, the congress will also look to space with the presence of satellites, since, as Hoffman has remarked, satellite connectivity "is one of the great innovations that are already revolutionizing telecommunications." Thus, Hall 6 of the Gran Via venue will feature a new area called New Frontiers and dedicated to emerging technologies that are revolutionizing global connectivity, such as satellite networks or quantum computing, hand in hand with companies in the sector such as Aalyria, Agibot, Equatys, Eutelsat and Toshiba Quantum.In fact, space is so limited that the congress will also make use of its outdoor areas, with the Airport of the Future area located in front of the venue's entrance. This innovative space, supported by Airbus as one of its main partners, will offer an immersive experience for attendees to explore firsthand how aviation and the air travel experience are being transformed, from airports to connectivity or the gastronomic offer on planes.
All in all, the forecast is to once again bring together some 2,900 exhibitors, as it did last year, including major mobile phone companies, such as the usual Google, Microsoft or Samsung. Among the confirmed speakers are also executives from SpaceX or Starlink ---two of magnate Elon Musk's companies---, Airtel, Orange or Rakuten. But the technology fair will not only bring together large technology companies again, but also those emerging companies that are redefining the future. These companies will once again have a presence in Hall 8, reserved for 4YFN, which will host more than 1,000 companies.
"We have almost all spaces full, global demand to come to Barcelona is stronger than ever," Hoffman stressed. With an ambitious program and an edition that they expect to be "a record," the forecast is to bring together "between 100,000 and 110,000 attendees from some 200 countries," said the CEO of GSMA. If so and reaching the figure of 110,000 visitors, the technology fair would not only exceed the figures of its previous edition ---when it managed to match pre-pandemic figures, bringing together 109,000 visitors--- but break and set a new attendance record, after 20 years in the Catalan capital. These figures should be added to the attendees of the Talent Arena, which in its first edition last year, brought together 20,000 people.
However, as Vivek Badrinath, CEO of GSMA, who is new to the position, taking over from Mats Granryd, has pointed out, the goal is not to gather the largest number of attendees, but "to bring together the top executives and leaders of the sector." That is, not to grow for the sake of growing, but to grow in relevance. In this sense, the organization has emphasized that in the 2026 edition they will have 25,000 high-level executives. All, with the aim of generating maximum impact both in the mobile technology industry, but also in Barcelona, the city that has seen them grow. The organization calculates, in fact, that in its 20 years of history the technology congress has generated an impact of 7,000 million euros for the city. In addition to an incalculable impact on an increasingly fast, revolutionary, and intelligent technology industry.